KR102208420B1 - Refrigerator comprising ice making room and a method for controlling the same - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a refrigerator for maintaining a constant temperature of the ice making room by controlling the amount of cold air flowing into the ice making room, and a control method thereof. A refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a main body having a storage compartment, a door opening and closing the storage compartment, an ice making compartment provided in the door to generate ice, an evaporator provided at one side of the storage compartment to generate cold air, and the evaporator. A cold air flow path connected between the space provided with a space and the ice making room, an ice making fan provided on the cold air flow path to supply cold air generated by the evaporator to the ice making room through the cold air flow channel, and provided in the ice making room And a controller configured to control at least one of a speed and a driving time of the ice-making fan based on an average temperature of the ice-making compartment within a driving period of the ice-making fan and a temperature sensor measuring a temperature of the ice-making compartment.

Description

A refrigerator equipped with an ice making room and its control method {REFRIGERATOR COMPRISING ICE MAKING ROOM AND A METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE SAME}

The present invention relates to a refrigerator for maintaining a constant temperature of the ice making room by controlling the amount of cold air flowing into the ice making room, and a control method thereof.

A refrigerator is a home appliance that allows food to be stored at low temperatures in an internal storage compartment that is opened and closed by a door. To this end, the refrigerator cools the storage compartment using refrigerant circulating according to the refrigeration cycle and cool air generated through heat exchange.

In general, a storage compartment of a refrigerator is divided into a refrigerating compartment and a freezer compartment, and a plurality of storage members such as shelves, drawers, and baskets are provided in the refrigerating compartment and the freezing compartment. These refrigerators are classified in various ways according to the arrangement of the refrigerator compartment and the freezing compartment and the shape of the door.

Recently, research on multifunctionalization of refrigerators has been continued in accordance with changes in dietary life and the trend of high-end products, and accordingly, various additional functions in consideration of user convenience are mounted on refrigerators.

Among these functions, the ice making function is a function of creating and storing ice by freezing water using cold air inside the refrigerator. For such an ice-making function, an ice-making device is provided in the refrigerator, and a dispenser for dispensing ice made by the ice-making device is provided outside the refrigerator.

This ice making device generates ice by using cold air generated through an evaporator in a refrigerator. Here, the cold air is basically used for cooling the refrigerating chamber or the freezing chamber, and in order to use the cold air, the ice making apparatus drives an ice making fan that supplies cold air generated by the evaporator to the ice making room where ice is generated.

At this time, the conventional ice making apparatus is driven by fixing the speed and driving time of the ice making fan. Accordingly, according to the conventional ice making apparatus, even though the time for generating cold air in the evaporator changes as the cooling time for the refrigerating compartment or the freezing compartment changes, the ice-making fan is driven according to a fixed speed and a fixed time, so that the temperature of the ice-making compartment is constant. There is a problem that cannot be maintained.

An object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator and a control method for controlling the amount of cold air flowing into an ice making room.

In addition, an object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator for controlling the amount of cold air flowing into the ice making room by controlling the speed or driving time of an ice making fan, and a control method thereof.

The objects of the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned objects, and other objects and advantages of the present invention that are not mentioned can be understood by the following description, and will be more clearly understood by examples of the present invention. In addition, it will be easily understood that the objects and advantages of the present invention can be realized by the means shown in the claims and combinations thereof.

In the present invention, by controlling at least one of a speed and a driving time of an ice making fan based on the average temperature of the ice making room, the amount of cold air flowing into the ice making room may be controlled.

In addition, the present invention controls the speed of the ice-making fan slowly or reduces the driving time of the ice-making fan when the average temperature of the ice-making chamber is less than the reference temperature range, Time is maintained, and when the average temperature of the ice making room exceeds the standard temperature range, the speed of the ice making fan is controlled quickly or the driving time of the ice making fan is increased, thereby controlling the speed or the driving time of the ice making fan to flow into the ice making room. The amount of can be adjusted.

According to the present invention, by controlling the amount of cold air flowing into the ice making room, the temperature of the ice making room is kept constant, thereby improving the efficiency of the ice making operation.

In addition, the present invention controls the speed or driving time of the ice making fan to control the amount of cold air flowing into the ice making room, so that the temperature of the ice making room can be kept constant without additional configuration, thereby reducing power consumption. And reduce production costs.

In addition to the above-described effects, specific effects of the present invention will be described together while describing specific details for carrying out the present invention.

1 is a view showing a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a view showing a refrigerator in a state in which the refrigerating compartment door shown in FIG. 1 is opened.
3 is a view showing an ice making compartment provided in the refrigerating compartment door shown in FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 is a view showing an ice-making chamber in a state in which the ice-making assembly shown in FIG. 3 is removed.
5 is a view showing a state in which cold air generated by an evaporator is supplied to an ice making room.
6 is a diagram illustrating a control flow of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention.
7 is a graph showing the speed of an ice making fan controlled according to the temperature of the ice making room.
8 is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling a refrigerator according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
9 is a flow chart showing a process of adjusting the speed and driving period of an ice making fan according to the average temperature of the ice making room.

The above-described objects, features, and advantages will be described later in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, and accordingly, one of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains will be able to easily implement the technical idea of the present invention. In describing the present invention, if it is determined that a detailed description of known technologies related to the present invention may unnecessarily obscure the subject matter of the present invention, a detailed description will be omitted. Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, the same reference numerals are used to indicate the same or similar elements.

Hereinafter, it means that an arbitrary component is disposed on the "top (or lower)" of the component or the "top (or lower)" of the component, the arbitrary component is arranged in contact with the top (or bottom) of the component. In addition, it may mean that other components may be interposed between the component and any component disposed on (or under) the component.

In addition, when a component is described as being "connected", "coupled" or "connected" to another component, the components may be directly connected or connected to each other, but other components are "interposed" between each component. It is to be understood that "or, each component may be "connected", "coupled" or "connected" through other components.

The present invention relates to a refrigerator for maintaining a constant temperature of the ice making room by controlling the amount of cold air flowing into the ice making room by controlling the speed and driving time of an ice making fan, and a control method thereof.

First, a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6.

1 is a diagram illustrating a refrigerator according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a refrigerator in a state in which the refrigerating compartment door shown in FIG. 1 is opened.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an ice-making compartment provided in the refrigerating compartment door illustrated in FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 is a view illustrating an ice-making compartment in a state in which the ice-making assembly illustrated in FIG. 3 is removed.

5 is a diagram illustrating a state in which cold air generated by an evaporator is supplied to an ice making room.

6 is a diagram illustrating a control flow of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 7 is a graph illustrating a speed of an ice making fan controlled according to a temperature of an ice making room.

1 and 2, a refrigerator 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention has a main body 10 that forms the external shape of the refrigerator 1 and has a storage compartment therein, and rotates with respect to the main body 10. It may include doors 11 and 12 for opening and closing the storage compartment.

More specifically, a storage compartment for storing food is formed inside the main body 10, and the storage compartment may include a refrigerating compartment 13 and a freezing compartment 14. The refrigerating chamber 13 and the freezing chamber 14 may be physically separated by a barrier 15.

In the drawing, a bottom freeze type refrigerator 1 in which the freezing compartment is located below the refrigerating compartment is illustrated, but the configuration and control method of the present invention described later can be applied to all refrigerators having an arbitrary door arrangement structure. .

For example, the present invention can be applied to a top mount type refrigerator in which a freezer compartment is disposed at the top and a refrigerating compartment is disposed at the bottom, or a side by side type refrigerator in which a freezing compartment and a refrigerating compartment are disposed left and right. .

However, in the following description, it is assumed that the refrigerator 1 of the present invention is of a bottom freeze type in which the freezing chamber 14 is located below the refrigerating chamber 13.

Referring again to FIG. 1, a refrigerating compartment door 11 for opening and closing the refrigerating compartment 13 and a freezing compartment door 12 for opening and closing the freezing compartment 14 may be connected to the main body 10. The refrigerating compartment door 11 is rotatably connected to the left and right sides of the main body 10 to independently open and close the opened front of the refrigerating compartment 13. On the other hand, the freezing compartment door 12 may be provided singly or in plurality, and may independently open and close the opened upper surface of the freezing compartment 14 by sliding forward or backward.

A dispenser 20 for dispensing water or ice may be provided on the refrigerating compartment door 11. The dispenser 20 may be provided in at least one of the left and right doors of the refrigerator 1. The dispenser 20 may be connected to the ice making chamber 30 to be described later.

The ice making room 30 may be provided in the above-described doors 11 and 12 to generate ice. The ice-making compartment 30 may be provided inside at least one of the refrigerating compartment door 11 and the freezing compartment door 12, and an ice-making assembly 32 for generating and storing ice may be provided in the ice-making compartment 30. have.

Hereinafter, it is assumed that the ice-making compartment 30 is provided inside the refrigerating compartment door 11.

Referring to FIG. 2, a cold air inlet 51a for introducing cold air generated by an evaporator 40 to be described later into the ice-making chamber 30 on one side of the refrigerating chamber door 11, and the ice-making chamber 30 Cold air outlets 51b for transferring the heat-exchanged air back to the evaporator 40 may be provided, respectively.

The cold air inlet 51a and the cold air outlet 51b may be formed by opening at positions capable of communicating with the cold air passage 50, respectively, in a state where the refrigerating compartment door 11 is closed.

2 and 3, the refrigerating compartment door 11 may include a case 111 forming a front exterior and a door liner 112 coupled to the case 111. The door liner 112 forms the rear surface of the refrigerating compartment door 11, and in particular, may form the ice making compartment 30.

The ice-making compartment door 31 may be rotatably connected to the door liner 112 by white paper, and the ice-making compartment 30 may be opened and closed by the ice-making compartment door 31. A handle part 31a for manipulating the opening and closing of the ice-making compartment door 31 may be provided on one side of the ice-making compartment door 31, and the door liner 112 accommodates a part of the handle part 31a to A handle receiving portion 31b for fixing the ice compartment door 31 in a closed state may be provided.

The door liner 112 is recessed on the rear surface of the refrigerating compartment door 11 to form an ice making compartment 30 capable of accommodating the ice making assembly 32. The front of the ice-making compartment 30 is opened and may be insulated by the ice-making compartment door 31 described above.

The ice making assembly 32 may include an ice maker 32a that produces ice and an ice bank 32b that stores ice produced by the ice maker 32a. The ice maker 32a and the ice bank 32b may be configured to be detachable from each other, and each may be independently mounted inside the ice making room 30. The ice maker 32a may automatically perform water supply and ice-breaking operations, and the ice bank 32b may supply the stored ice to the dispenser 20 described above.

A cold air duct 51c for guiding the cold air introduced through the cold air inlet 51a into the ice making chamber 30 may be provided on the ice making assembly 32.

Meanwhile, a connector 114 for supplying power to the ice making assembly 32 may be provided on an upper side of the ice making chamber 30. When the ice-making assembly 32 is accommodated in the ice-making chamber 30 as shown in FIG. 3, the connector 114 and the ice-making assembly 32 are electrically connected, and the ice-making assembly 32 is through the connector 114. Power can be supplied. In addition, a water supply pipe 115 for supplying water to the ice making assembly 32 may be provided on the upper side of the ice making room 30.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, a cold air inlet 51a and a cold air outlet 51b may be formed on the inner wall 33 of the ice making chamber 30, respectively. In FIG. 4, it is shown that the cold air inlet 51a is disposed on the inner wall 33 of the ice making chamber 30 and the cold air outlet 51b is disposed on the lower side, but the cold air inlet 51a and the cold air outlet 51b The position of) is not limited thereto.

An opening 35 and an ice duct 34 for discharging ice stored in the ice bank 32b to the outside may be disposed on the lower side of the ice making room 30.

Meanwhile, a temperature sensor 70 for measuring the temperature of the ice making room 30 may be provided in the ice making room 30. The temperature sensor 70 may be provided in an arbitrary position in the ice making room 30. However, when the temperature sensor 70 requires power, the temperature sensor 70 may be provided adjacent to the above-described connector 114 to simplify wiring. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the temperature sensor 70 may be provided adjacent to the connector 114 on the upper side of the ice making chamber 30.

The evaporator 40 may be provided on one side of the storage chamber to generate cold air. More specifically, the evaporator 40 may be provided on one side of the refrigerating chamber 13 and the freezing chamber 14.

In addition, the ice-making fan 60 may be provided on the above-described cold air passage 50 to supply cold air generated by the evaporator 40 to the ice-making chamber 30 through the cold air passage 50. The ice making fan 60 may be provided at any position on the cold air flow path 50. For example, at least one ice-making fan 60 may be provided at one end of the cold air flow path 50 through which cold air is introduced or the other end of the cold air flow path 50 through which cold air is output.

Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, it is assumed that the evaporator 40 is provided at one side of the freezing chamber 14 and the ice making fan 60 is provided at one end of the cold air flow path 50 through which cold air is introduced.

Referring to FIG. 5, the barrier 15 may physically separate the refrigerating chamber 13 and the freezing chamber 14. A grill fan 41 for forming a heat exchange space may be disposed in the freezing chamber 14, and an evaporator 40 may be provided inside the heat exchange space formed by the grill fan 41.

An ice making fan 60 for supplying cold air generated by the evaporator 40 to the ice making room 30 may be provided at one side of the grill pan 41. More specifically, the ice-making fan 60 may supply cold air to the ice-making chamber 30 through the cold air flow path 50, and for this purpose, the cold air flow path 50 is a space in which the evaporator 40 is provided, for example, the aforementioned heat exchange It may be connected between the space and the ice making room 30.

When the ice-making fan 60 is driven, the cold air generated by the evaporator 40 may move along the cold air flow path 50 and may be supplied to the ice-making chamber 30 through the cold air inlet 51a. Meanwhile, the air flowing in the ice making chamber 30 and heat-exchanged may be recovered to the evaporator 40 again along the cold air flow path 50 through the cold air outlet 51b.

The controller 80 determines at least one of the speed and driving time of the ice-making fan 60 in the next period of the ice-making fan 60 based on the average temperature of the ice-making compartment 30 within one driving period of the ice-making fan 60. Can be controlled.

Basically, the controller 80 can control the driving of the ice making fan 60. More specifically, the controller 80 may turn on or off the ice making fan 60 according to a preset driving period and driving time. Here, the driving time may mean a time during which the ice making fan 60 is turned on and controlled within a driving period.

For example, when the driving period of the ice-making fan 60 is 10 minutes, the controller 80 may turn on the ice-making fan 60 for a driving time of 7 minutes, and the ice-making fan ( 60) can be controlled off. When 3 minutes elapse after the ice-making fan 60 is turned off, the ice-making fan 60 may be turned on for 7 minutes according to a driving period.

During the driving time of the ice-making fan 60, cold air generated by the evaporator 40 may be supplied to the ice-making chamber 30. Accordingly, the temperature of the ice-making compartment 30 may be lowered during the driving time of the ice-making fan 60, and the temperature of the ice-making compartment 30 may be increased during the non-driving time of the ice-making fan 60.

Meanwhile, the control unit 80 may calculate the average temperature of the ice making room 30 within the driving period of the ice making fan 60 based on the temperature of the ice making room 30 measured by the above-described temperature sensor 70. .

The refrigerant may be compressed, condensed, expanded, and evaporated sequentially and repeatedly according to the refrigeration cycle. In this case, the refrigerant is compressed by a compressor (not shown), and a driving cycle of the ice making fan 60 to be described later may be determined by the on/off timing of the compressor.

In one example, when a single compressor is provided in the storage room, the controller 80 may determine a driving period of the corresponding compressor as a driving period of the ice-making fan 60.

More specifically, a single compressor may be provided in the freezing chamber 14. The compressor provided in the freezing chamber 14 is turned on to lower the temperature of the freezing chamber 14 to a predetermined temperature. When the temperature of the freezing chamber 14 falls to a predetermined temperature, the compressor is turned off, and a damper connecting the freezing chamber 14 and the refrigerating chamber 13 may be opened. The temperature of the refrigerating chamber 13 may be lowered to a certain temperature by cold air supplied through the damper. When the temperature of the refrigerating chamber 13 falls to a certain temperature, the compressor is turned on again and the damper may be closed again.

The above-described operation may be repeatedly performed, wherein the ice-making fan 60 may be driven when the temperature of the freezing chamber 14 decreases (compressor on), that is, when cold air is supplied to the freezing chamber 14. have. In addition, the ice making fan 60 may not be driven when the temperature of the freezing compartment 14 increases (compressor is turned off), that is, when cold air is supplied to the refrigerating compartment 14.

Accordingly, the control unit 80 can determine the driving cycle of the ice-making fan 60 from the time when the compressor is turned on once to the time when the compressor is turned on in the next cycle, or from the time when the compressor is turned off once and turned off in the next cycle. have.

In another example, a storage compartment may be provided with a plurality of compressors. For example, the freezing chamber 14 and the refrigerating chamber 13 may be provided with a first compressor and a second compressor that alternately operate, respectively.

In this case, the control unit 80 may determine a time from when the first compressor is turned on to the time when the second compressor is turned off as a driving cycle of the ice making fan 60. Here, the first compressor and the second compressor refer to respective compressors provided in the refrigerating chamber 13 and the freezing chamber 14, and their positions may not be fixed.

Accordingly, hereinafter, the first compressor is described as a compressor provided in the freezing chamber 14, but the first compressor may be provided in the refrigerating chamber 13, and when the first compressor is provided in the refrigerating chamber 13, the second compressor May be provided in the freezing chamber 14.

The first compressor provided in the freezing chamber 14 is turned on to reduce the temperature of the freezing chamber 14 to a predetermined temperature. When the temperature of the freezing chamber 14 falls to a predetermined temperature, the first compressor is turned off, and the second compressor provided in the refrigerating chamber 13 is turned on, thereby lowering the temperature of the refrigerating chamber 13 to a predetermined temperature. When the temperature of the refrigerating chamber 13 falls to a certain temperature, the second compressor is turned off, and the first compressor provided in the freezing chamber 14 may be turned on again.

The above-described operation may be repeatedly performed, wherein the ice-making fan 60 is driven when the temperature of the freezing compartment 14 decreases (the first compressor is on), that is, when cold air is supplied to the freezing compartment 14 Can be. In addition, the ice making fan 60 may not be driven when the temperature of the freezing chamber 14 increases (the second compressor is on), that is, when cold air is supplied to the refrigerating chamber 14.

Accordingly, the control unit 80 may determine a time from the ON point of the first compressor to the off point of the second compressor as the driving cycle of the ice making fan 60.

Meanwhile, the temperature sensor 70 may measure the temperature of the ice making chamber 30 at a constant measurement period. For example, the temperature sensor 70 may measure the temperature of the ice making room 30 once every second.

The controller 80 receives the temperature of the ice making room 30 measured according to the measurement period from the temperature sensor 70, and based on the provided temperature, the average of the ice making room 30 within the driving period of the ice making fan 60 You can calculate the temperature.

Subsequently, the controller 80 may control the speed and driving time of the ice making fan 60 based on the calculated average temperature. More specifically, the controller 80 may control the speed and driving time of the ice making fan 60 in proportion to the average temperature of the ice making room 30.

In other words, as the average temperature of the ice making room 30 increases, the controller 80 may control the speed of the ice making fan 60 faster or control the driving time of the ice making fan 60 longer. On the other hand, as the average temperature of the ice making room 30 is lower, the controller 80 may control the driving time of the ice making fan 60 to be slower or the driving time of the ice making fan 60 to be shorter.

In one example, the control unit 80 may control the speed of the ice making fan 60 by comparing the average temperature of the ice making room 30 with a reference temperature range.

의 범위로 설정될 수 있다. 이에 따라, 사용자가 요구하는 제빙실(30)의 온도를 -6.5^oC로 가정하면, 기준 온도 범위는 -7.15^oC에서 -5.85^oC로 설정될 수 있다.The reference temperature range may be set based on the temperature of the ice making room 30 requested by the user. For example, the reference temperature range is the temperature of the ice making room 30 requested by the user.

Can be set in the range of. Accordingly, assuming the temperature of the ice making chamber 30, which the user requests to -6.5 ^o C, the reference temperature range may be set to -5.85 -7.15 ^o C in ^o C.

The controller 80 controls the speed of the ice-making fan 60 slowly when the average temperature of the ice-making compartment 30 is less than the reference temperature range, and the ice-making fan 60 when the average temperature of the ice-making compartment 30 is within the reference temperature range. The speed of the ice making room 30 is maintained, and when the average temperature of the ice making room 30 exceeds the reference temperature range, the speed of the ice making fan 60 can be quickly controlled.

Referring to FIG. 7, the temperature of the ice making chamber 30 may rise and fall according to a driving cycle of the ice making fan 60. More specifically, cold air may be supplied to the freezing compartment 14 according to the driving cycle of the ice-making fan 60 described above, and the cold air supplied to the freezing compartment 14 is transferred to the ice-making compartment 30 through the ice-making fan 60. Can be supplied. Accordingly, the temperature of the ice making chamber 30 may rise and fall repeatedly according to the driving cycle of the ice making fan 60.

The controller 80 may calculate an average temperature of the ice making compartment 30 with respect to the driving period of the ice making fan 60 and compare the calculated average temperature with a reference temperature range. For example, the average temperature of the ice making chamber 30 with respect to the reference temperature range is set at -7.15 to -5.85 ^o C ^o C, in Fig. 6 in the first drive period may be -7.9 ^o C.

Since the average temperature of the ice making room 30 for the first driving cycle is less than the reference temperature range, the controller 80 can slowly control the speed of the ice making fan 60 rotating at 1880 [rpm] to 1860 [rpm]. Accordingly, the amount of cold air supplied to the ice making chamber 30 in the second driving cycle may be reduced.

As the amount of cold air supplied decreases, the temperature of the ice making chamber 30 may increase in the second driving cycle, and the average temperature of the ice making chamber 30 may be -7.4 ^° C in the second driving cycle.

Since the average temperature of the ice making compartment 30 for the second driving cycle is still below the reference temperature range, the controller 80 can slowly control the speed of the ice making fan 60 rotating at 1860 [rpm] to 1840 [rpm]. Accordingly, the amount of cold air supplied to the ice making compartment 30 in the third driving cycle may be further reduced.

As the amount of the supplied cold air further decreases, the temperature of the ice-making compartment 30 may be increased in the third driving cycle, and the average temperature of the ice-making compartment 30 in the third driving cycle may be -7 ^° C.

Since the average temperature of the ice making room 30 for the third driving cycle is within the reference temperature range, the controller 80 can maintain the speed of the ice making fan 60 rotating at 1840 [rpm], and accordingly, the fourth driving cycle The amount of cold air supplied to the ice making room 30 may be maintained.

Although not shown in FIG. 6, when the average temperature of one driving cycle exceeds the reference temperature range, the controller 80 can quickly control the speed of the ice making fan 60. This control process may be the same as the process of slowly controlling the speed of the ice making fan 60.

In another example, the controller 80 may control the driving time of the ice making fan 60 by comparing the average temperature of the ice making room 30 with a reference temperature range.

As described above, the driving period of the ice-making fan 60 may be divided into a driving time in which the ice-making fan 60 is driven and a non-driving time in which the ice-making fan 60 is not driven.

When the average temperature of the ice making room 30 is less than the reference temperature range, the control unit 80 reduces the driving time of the ice making fan 60 within the driving period, and when the average temperature of the ice making room 30 is within the reference temperature range, The driving time of the fan 60 is maintained, and when the average temperature of the ice-making chamber 30 exceeds the reference temperature range, the driving time of the ice-making fan 60 may be increased within a driving period.

For example, the ice-making fan 60 may be driven according to a driving period of 10 minutes, consisting of a driving time of 7 minutes and a non-driving time of 3 minutes.

When the average temperature of the ice making room 30 is within the reference temperature range, the controller 80 may maintain the driving time of the ice making fan 60 as a preset time.

Meanwhile, when the average temperature of the ice making chamber 30 is less than the reference temperature range, the control unit 80 may reduce the time during which the ice making fan 60 is driven within the driving period. In other words, the controller 80 may reduce the driving time of the ice making fan 60 set to 7 minutes to 6 minutes.

Conversely, when the average temperature of the ice making chamber 30 exceeds the reference temperature range, the controller 80 may increase the time during which the ice making fan 60 is driven within the driving period. In other words, the controller 80 may increase the driving time of the ice making fan 60 set to 7 minutes to 8 minutes.

Hereinafter, a control method of a refrigerator according to an exemplary embodiment will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 8 to 9.

8 is a flowchart illustrating a method of controlling a refrigerator according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a process of adjusting the speed and driving period of an ice making fan according to an average temperature of an ice making room.

Referring to FIG. 8, in the refrigerator control method according to an embodiment of the present invention, supplying cold air generated by an evaporator provided at one side of the storage room to the ice making room through an ice making fan (S10), and measuring the temperature in the ice making room. And calculating the average temperature of the ice making room in the driving period of the ice making fan (S20), and controlling at least one of the speed and driving time of the ice making fan by comparing the average temperature of the ice making room with a reference temperature range (S30). It may include.

Step S10 may be performed by the evaporator and the ice-making fan 60 for supplying cold air generated by the evaporator to the ice-making chamber described with reference to FIG. 5.

In addition, step S20 calculates the average temperature of the ice making room for the driving period of the ice making fan 60 based on the temperature sensor 70 provided in the ice making room and the temperature of the ice making room provided from the temperature sensor 70 It can be performed by the control unit 80.

Further, step S30 may be performed by the controller 80 controlling the speed and driving time of the ice making fan 60 based on the average temperature of the ice making room.

Each component performing each step (S10, S20, S30) has been described above with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6, and thus a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

Referring to FIG. 9, when the average temperature Ta of the ice making room is calculated according to step S20, the controller 80 may compare the calculated average temperature Ta with the reference temperature range (S31 ). The reference temperature range may be a range between the minimum reference temperature T2 and the maximum reference temperature T1.

When the average temperature Ta of the ice making room exceeds the maximum reference temperature T1 (A), the control unit 80 may increase the speed of the ice making fan or increase the driving time of the ice making fan (S32).

In addition, if the average temperature Ta of the ice making room is within the reference range (B), the controller 80 may maintain the speed of the ice making fan or maintain the driving time of the ice making fan.

In addition, when the average temperature Ta of the ice making room is less than the minimum reference temperature T2 (C), the controller 80 may reduce the speed of the ice making fan or reduce the driving time of the ice making fan (S33).

Subsequently, the controller 80 may turn on the compressor (S34). After the compressor is turned on and controlled, the refrigerant may be compressed, condensed, expanded, and evaporated in sequence, and accordingly, the temperature of the storage chamber may decrease.

The controller 80 may determine whether the temperature of the storage compartment satisfies the operating temperature condition requested by the user by comparing the temperature of the storage compartment decreasing with time with a preset temperature (S35).

As a result of the determination, if the temperature of the storage chamber does not satisfy the operating temperature condition, the controller 80 keeps the compressor in an on state (S34), and when the temperature of the storage chamber satisfies the operating temperature condition, the controller 80 operates the compressor. Off can be controlled (S36).

When the compressor is off-controlled, step S20 is performed, and then steps S31 to S36 shown in FIG. 8 may be repeatedly performed.

As described above, according to the present invention, by adjusting the amount of cold air flowing into the ice making room, the temperature of the ice making room is kept constant, thereby improving the efficiency of the ice making operation.

In addition, the present invention controls the speed or driving time of the ice making fan to control the amount of cold air flowing into the ice making room, so that the temperature of the ice making room can be kept constant without additional configuration, thereby reducing power consumption. And reduce production costs.

As described above with reference to the drawings illustrated for the present invention, the present invention is not limited by the embodiments and drawings disclosed in the present specification, and various by a person skilled in the art within the scope of the technical idea of the present invention. It is obvious that transformation can be made. In addition, even if not explicitly described and described the effects of the configuration of the present invention while describing the embodiments of the present invention, it is natural that the predictable effects of the configuration should also be recognized.

Claims (10)

A main body including a storage compartment equipped with a compressor;
A door for opening and closing the storage chamber;
An ice making room provided in the door to generate ice;
An evaporator provided on one side of the storage chamber to generate cold air;
A cold air passage connected between the space in which the evaporator is provided and the ice making room;
An ice making fan provided on the cool air flow path and driven according to a driving cycle synchronized with the driving cycle of the compressor to supply cold air generated by the evaporator to the ice making room through the cold air flow path;
A temperature sensor provided in the ice making room to measure the temperature of the ice making room; And
And a control unit for stepwise increasing or decreasing the speed of the ice-making fan in the next driving period of the ice-making fan based on the average temperature of the ice-making compartment within one driving period of the ice-making fan.
Refrigerator.
The method of claim 1,
The storage compartment is composed of a refrigerating compartment and a freezing compartment,
The ice-making compartment is provided in a door of the refrigerating compartment, and the evaporator is provided at one side of the freezing compartment.
delete The method of claim 2,
The freezing chamber and the refrigerating chamber are provided with a first compressor and a second compressor that alternately operate, respectively,
The control unit determines a time from an on time of the first compressor to an off time of the second compressor as a driving cycle of the ice making fan.
The method of claim 1,
The control unit
A refrigerator configured to control the speed of the ice making fan by comparing the average temperature of the ice making room with a reference temperature range.
The method of claim 5,
The control unit
When the average temperature of the ice-making compartment is less than the reference temperature range, the speed of the ice-making fan is controlled slowly, and when the average temperature of the ice-making compartment is within the reference temperature range, the speed of the ice-making fan is maintained, and the average of the ice-making compartment is A refrigerator configured to quickly control the speed of the ice making fan when the temperature exceeds the reference temperature range.
delete Supplying cold air generated by an evaporator provided at one side of the storage room to the ice making room through an ice making fan;
Measuring a temperature of the ice-making compartment and calculating an average temperature of the ice-making compartment in a driving period of the ice-making fan synchronized with a driving period of the compressor provided in the storage compartment; And
Comprising the step of gradually increasing or decreasing the speed of the ice-making fan by comparing the average temperature of the ice making room and a reference temperature range
How to control the refrigerator.
The method of claim 8,
The step of gradually increasing or decreasing the speed of the ice making fan by comparing the average temperature of the ice making room with a reference temperature range
Slowly controlling the speed of the ice making fan when the average temperature of the ice making room is less than the reference temperature range;
Maintaining the speed of the ice making fan when the average temperature of the ice making room is within the reference temperature range; And
Including the step of rapidly controlling the speed of the ice-making fan when the average temperature of the ice making room exceeds the reference temperature range
How to control the refrigerator. delete

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