KR-20260063960-A - A frost detection unit for detecting a refrigerator defrosting period, and a refrigerator defrosting device and method including the same

Abstract

A frost detection unit for detecting the time to defrost a refrigerator, and a refrigerator defrosting device and method including the same are disclosed. A frost detection unit according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a humidity sensor installed in close proximity to an evaporator and a sub-heater that melts frost formed on the surface of the humidity sensor, wherein the sub-heater is operated for a pre-entered time at each set cycle to melt the frost formed on the humidity sensor, the humidity sensor detects the moisture generated as the frost melts and generates an output value, and the thickness of the frost formed on the surface of the evaporator can be predicted from the time the output value of the humidity sensor is sustained.

Inventors

• 오진현

Assignees

• 주식회사 국제커머스그룹

Dates

Publication Date

20260507

Application Date

20241031

Claims (1)

1. A humidity sensor installed in the evaporator; and Includes a subheater that melts frost formed on a humidity sensor; and The above subheater operates for a preset time at set cycles to melt frost formed on the humidity sensor, and The humidity sensor detects the moisture generated as the frost melts and generates an output value, and A frost detection unit for detecting the time to defrost a refrigerator, which can predict the amount of frost formed on the surface of an evaporator from the duration of the output value of the humidity sensor.

Description

A frost detection unit for detecting a refrigerator defrosting period, and a refrigerator defrosting device and method including the same The present invention relates to a refrigerator frost detection unit and a refrigerator defrosting device and method including the same, and in particular, to a frost detection unit that detects the amount of frost formed on the surface of a refrigerator evaporator so that appropriate defrosting can be performed when defrosting is required, and a refrigerator defrosting device and method including the same. Generally, frost forms on the surface of the refrigerator's evaporator due to moisture entering the interior when the refrigerator is opened and closed. When frost forms, the evaporator's performance is impaired, which negatively affects the refrigerator's performance, such as making it difficult to control the temperature. Therefore, a defrost heater is installed around the evaporator in the refrigerator to periodically remove frost. The defrost heater operates under the control of the control unit to generate heat and melt the frost. In other words, the defrosting method generally applied to refrigerators in the past is a method that directly removes frost formed on the surface of the evaporator using radiant heat generated when the defrost heater is operated, and operates at a pre-programmed cycle under the control of the control unit to remove thick frost formed on the surface of the evaporator. Conventionally, defrosting using a defrosting device is generally performed periodically by simply checking the cumulative operating time of the compressor, regardless of the degree of frost buildup on the evaporator or the number of times the defrosting operation has been performed. In other words, the system is configured to extract data related to the amount of frost buildup based on compressor operating time through repeated experiments, and to perform defrosting operations based on this data. Accordingly, there is a problem in that the defrosting device is unnecessarily operated regardless of the amount of frost, even when frost has not formed or is not significantly affected by refrigeration performance, thereby increasing power consumption, or the defrosting device is not operated even when frost has accumulated to the extent that it significantly affects refrigeration performance and defrosting operation is required, thereby significantly degrading the refrigerator's performance. FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a refrigerator with a refrigerator defrosting device applied according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a refrigerator defrosting device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a refrigerator defrosting device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a side schematic diagram of a frost detection unit applied to a refrigerator defrosting device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a flowchart for defrosting control of a refrigerator defrosting device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a control flowchart applied to determine whether the defrosting time has arrived in FIG. 5. Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a refrigerator with a refrigerator defrosting device according to an embodiment of the present invention. With reference to this, we will first examine the schematic configuration of the refrigerator with the refrigerator defrosting device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, a refrigerator (1) to which a defrosting device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied includes a main body (10) having a freezer (100) and a refrigerator (not shown) inside, and a freezer door (20) and a refrigerator door rotatably attached to the front of the main body (10) to selectively open and close the freezer (100) and the refrigerator. The freezer (100) and the refrigerator are partitioned by a partition (not shown), and a storage room (12) for storing food and a shelf (14) for placing food on which the internal space is divided vertically can be provided. A door basket (22) for storing food can be mounted on the back of the freezer door (20), and an ice-making device (24) can be mounted on the back of the freezer door (20) depending on the type of product. Ice produced through the ice-making device (24) can be extracted from the outside when a dispenser (not shown) is provided on the freezer door (20), and a cold air generating chamber (300) is formed at the rear of the freezer (100) to accommodate an evaporator (320) that generates cold air by heat-exchanging refrigerant and air, and the cold air generating chamber (300) is shielded by an evaporator cover (120). A cold air duct (110) that guides the cold air generated from th