Refrigeration – Automatic control – Refrigeration producer
Reexamination Certificate
2003-10-17
2004-08-17
Tapolcai, William E. (Department: 3744)
Refrigeration
Automatic control
Refrigeration producer
Reexamination Certificate
active
06775998
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a refrigerating unit and a refrigerator equipped with the refrigerating unit.
BACKGROUND ART
In recent years, a refrigerating unit to provide cooling for a plurality of compartments, each provided with an evaporator, and a refrigerator equipped with the refrigerating unit have been disclosed.
A prior art refrigerating unit of this kind is disclosed in the Japanese Patent Application Unexamined Publication No. S58-219366 of 1984.
Next, a description is given to the aforementioned prior art refrigerating unit with reference to drawings.
FIG. 9
is a block diagram of a cooling system of the prior art refrigerating unit. In
FIG. 9
, a refrigerant compressed in a compressor
1
is condensed by dissipating heats in condenser
2
and then fed to refrigerant branching unit
3
.
The branched refrigerant is partially returned to compressor
1
after going through first solenoid valve
4
, first capillary tube
5
and first evaporator
6
, thereby forming a first refrigerant circuit. In parallel to the foregoing first refrigerant circuit is formed a second refrigerant circuit starting from refrigerant branching unit
3
, passing second solenoid
7
, second capillary tube
8
and second evaporator
9
, and returning to compressor
1
.
First evaporator
6
is installed in first cooling compartment
11
of refrigerator's main body
10
and second evaporator
9
is installed in second cooling compartment
12
. First controlling means
13
detects the temperatures in first cooling compartment
11
and controls closing/opening of first solenoid
4
. Second controlling means
14
detects the temperatures in second cooling compartment
12
and controls closing/opening of second solenoid
7
.
Next, a description is given to how the refrigerating unit structured as above operates.
A refrigerant is compressed by compressor
1
and condensed by dissipating heat in condenser
2
. After passing refrigerant branching unit
3
, the refrigerant is depressurized in first capillary tube
5
and evaporated in first evaporator
6
when first solenoid
4
is open, thereby providing cooling for first cooling compartment
11
. First controlling means
13
controls closing/opening of first solenoid
4
, thereby controlling first cooling compartment
11
to a predetermined temperature.
Similarly, the refrigerant branched at refrigerant branching unit
3
is depressurized in second capillary tube
8
and evaporated in second evaporator
9
when second solenoid
7
is open, thereby providing cooling for second cooling compartment
12
. Second controlling means
14
controls closing/opening of second solenoid
7
, thereby controlling second cooling compartment
12
to a predetermined temperature. When the respective cooling compartments are not allowed to be controlled only by closing/opening of the respective solenoids, the respective cooling compartments are controlled by operating and stopping of compressor
1
.
A prior art refrigerator is disclosed in the Japanese Patent Application Unexamined Publication No. H8-210753 of 1996.
A description is given to the aforementioned prior art refrigerator with reference to drawings.
FIG. 10
is a longitudinal cross-sectional view for showing an outline structure of the prior art refrigerator.
FIG. 11
is a block diagram of a cooling system of the prior art refrigerator.
FIG. 12
is a block diagram for showing an operation control circuit of the prior art refrigerator.
In
FIG. 10
, refrigerator's main body
15
has freezer compartment
16
and cold storage compartment
17
that are separated from each other to prevent chilled air from mixing therebetween. First evaporator
18
is installed in freezer compartment
16
and second evaporator
19
is installed in cold storage compartment
17
. First air blower
20
is disposed right next to first evaporator
18
and second air blower
21
is disposed right next to second evaporator
19
. Compressor
22
is installed in the lower back part of refrigerator's main body
15
.
In
FIG. 11
, compressor
22
, condenser
23
, capillary tube
24
acting as a pressure reducer, first evaporator
18
, refrigerant tube
25
and second evaporator
19
are connected in succession, thereby establishing a closed circuit. Refrigerant tube
25
connects between first evaporator
18
and second evaporator
19
.
Subsequently, as
FIG. 12
shows, freezer compartment temperature adjusting unit
27
to set up the temperatures of freezer compartment
16
, cold storage compartment temperature adjusting unit
28
to set the temperatures of cold storage compartment
17
, freezer compartment temperature detecting means
29
to detect the temperatures of freezer compartment
16
and cold storage compartment temperature detecting means
30
to detect the temperatures of cold storage compartment
17
are connected to the input terminal of controlling means
26
acting as a controller. First relay
31
and second relay
32
are connected to the output terminal of controlling means
26
.
First switch
34
, which is turned on/off according to the behavior of first relay
31
, is connected to one of the terminals of power supply
33
. Compressor
22
and second switch
35
are connected to the output terminal of first switch
34
. Aforementioned first air blower
20
is connected to contact a of second switch
35
. Aforementioned second air blower
21
is connected to contact b of second switch
35
.
Next, a description is given to how the refrigerator structured as above operates.
A refrigerant is compressed by compressor
22
and condensed by dissipating heat in condenser
23
. The condensed refrigerant is reduced in pressure in capillary tube
24
and part of the refrigerant is evaporated in first evaporator
18
and the balance of the refrigerant is evaporated while passing through second evaporator
19
. Thus, a heat exchange reaction takes place in the respective evaporators. Then, the refrigerant in a gaseous state is sucked into compressor
22
. Such a refrigeration cycle as above is repeated as compressor
22
is brought into operation.
By the action of a mechanical draft of first air blower
20
and second air blower
21
, the air in freezer compartment
16
and cold storage compartment
17
undergoes a heat exchange in first evaporator
18
and second evaporator
19
.
At this time, when the temperature detected by freezer compartment temperature detecting means
29
is higher than the temperature set up by freezer compartment temperature adjusting unit
27
, controlling means
26
brings first relay
31
into operation to turn on first switch
34
, thereby bringing compressor
22
into operation. Further, when the temperature detected by cold storage compartment temperature detecting means
30
is higher than the temperature set up by cold storage compartment temperature adjuster
28
, controlling means
26
connects second relay
32
to contact b of second switch
35
, thereby bringing second air blower
21
into operation. As a result, cold storage compartment
17
undergoes cooling selectively and is controlled to a predetermined temperature.
On the other hand, when the temperature detected by freezer compartment detecting means
29
is higher than the temperature set up by freezer compartment temperature adjusting unit
27
and the temperature detected by cold storage compartment temperature detecting means
30
is lower than the temperature set up by cold storage compartment temperature adjusting unit
28
, controlling means
26
connects second relay
32
to contact a of second switch
35
, thereby bringing first air blower
20
into operation. As a result, freezer compartment
16
undergoes cooling selectively and is controlled to a predetermined temperature.
When the temperature detected by freezer compartment temperature detecting means
29
is lower than the temperature set up by freezer compartment temperature adjusting unit
27
, controlling means
26
brings first relay
31
into operation to turn off first switch
34
, thereby bringing compressor
22
to a halt.
However,
Fukui Hideki
Hamano Yasuki
Kamimura Shuzo
Yamada Hiroshi
Yokoyama Naoki
Matsushita Refrigeration Company
Tapolcai William E.
Wenderoth , Lind & Ponack, L.L.P.
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