U.S. patent application number 12/829445 was filed with the patent office on 2011-01-27 for defrosting assembly, refrigerator having the same, and method for controlling the same.
Invention is credited to Kyung Seok Kim, Nam Gyo LEE.
Application Number | 20110016887 12/829445 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43496089 |
Filed Date | 2011-01-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110016887 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
LEE; Nam Gyo ; et
al. |
January 27, 2011 |
DEFROSTING ASSEMBLY, REFRIGERATOR HAVING THE SAME, AND METHOD FOR
CONTROLLING THE SAME
Abstract
A defrosting assembly, a refrigerator having the same, and a
method of controlling the same are provided. The refrigerator may
include a food defrosting chamber, which may be divided from a food
storage chamber that cools or freezes food, a defrosting device,
which may be positioned in and may be removable from the food
defrosting chamber, and a thermoelectric module, which may be
positioned in the food defrosting chamber to heat an inside of the
defrosting device and to cool an outside of the defrosting device.
In a defrosting mode, frozen food may be rapidly defrosted by using
the defrosting device, while in a general or a rapid cooling mode,
the defrosting device may be used for food storage.
Inventors: |
LEE; Nam Gyo; (Seoul,
KR) ; Kim; Kyung Seok; (Seoul, KR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
KED & ASSOCIATES, LLP
P.O. Box 221200
Chantilly
VA
20153-1200
US
|
Family ID: |
43496089 |
Appl. No.: |
12/829445 |
Filed: |
July 2, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
62/3.2 ; 62/234;
62/275; 62/80 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F25D 25/025 20130101;
F25D 31/005 20130101; F25D 2317/0681 20130101; F25D 2400/30
20130101; F25D 17/045 20130101; A23B 7/045 20130101; A23L 3/365
20130101; F25B 2321/023 20130101; F25B 2321/0251 20130101; F25B
21/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
62/3.2 ; 62/275;
62/234; 62/80 |
International
Class: |
F25B 21/02 20060101
F25B021/02; F25D 21/06 20060101 F25D021/06; F25D 21/00 20060101
F25D021/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 21, 2009 |
KR |
10-2009-0066496 |
Claims
1. A defrosting assembly, comprising: a defrosting device
configured to be positioned in, and removable from, a food
defrosting chamber of a refrigerator; and a thermoelectric module
configured to be positioned in the food defrosting chamber, the
thermoelectric module being configured to supply heat to an inside
of the defrosting device and to supply cool air to an outside of
the defrosting device.
2. The defrosting assembly of claim 1, wherein the defrosting
device is configured to be assembled with or disassembled from the
thermoelectric module by sliding the defrosting device into the
food defrosting chamber of the refrigerator.
3. The defrosting assembly of claim 2, wherein the defrosting
device has a rectangular shape.
4. The defrosting assembly of claim 3, wherein the defrosting
device is a drawer comprising a door handle and a receiving
space.
5. The defrosting assembly of claim 2, wherein the thermoelectric
module comprises: a thermoelectric plate that generates heat on a
first side and removes heat from a second side by electric force; a
heat sink plate positioned on the first side of the thermoelectric
plate that diffuses the generated heat; and a fan positioned on the
heat sink plate that circulates the diffused heat.
6. The defrosting assembly of claim 5, wherein the heat sink plate
comprises a plurality of pins or fins.
7. The defrosting assembly of claim 5, wherein the defrosting
device further comprises a guide hole configured to receive the
thermoelectric module therein as the defrosting device is assembled
with or disassembled from the thermoelectric module.
8. The defrosting assembly of claim 7, wherein the defrosting
device is assembled with the thermoelectric module to position a
front side of the thermoelectric plate to face a back side of the
defrosting device, and wherein the heat sink plate and the fan are
configured to pass through the guide hole.
9. The defrosting assembly of claim 1, further comprising a damper
positioned on the defrosting device, the damper being configured to
open and close an opening hole on the defrosting device.
10. The defrosting assembly of claim 1, further comprising a
plurality of dampers positioned on the defrosting device, the
plurality of dampers being configured to open and close a plurality
of opening holes on the defrosting device.
11. A refrigerator comprising the defrosting assembly of claim
1.
12. The refrigerator of claim 11, further comprising a food storage
chamber configured to cool or freeze food, the food defrosting
chamber being divided from the food storage chamber.
13. The refrigerator of claim 12, further comprising a controller
that controls the refrigerator in a defrosting mode to defrost food
stored in the defrosting device, wherein, in the defrosting mode,
the controller turns on a thermoelectric plate and a fan of the
thermoelectric module, and closes a damper on the defrosting
device.
14. The refrigerator of claim 12, further comprising a controller
that controls the refrigerator in a general cooling mode to cool
food stored in the defrosting device, wherein, in the general
cooling mode, the controller turns off a thermoelectric plate and a
fan of the thermoelectric module, and opens a damper on the
defrosting device.
15. The refrigerator of claim 12, further comprising a controller
that controls the refrigerator in a rapid cooling mode to rapidly
cool food stored in the defrosting device, wherein, in the rapid
cooling mode, the controller turns off a thermoelectric plate of
the thermoelectric module, turns on a fan of the thermoelectric
module, and opens a damper on the defrosting device.
16. A method for controlling a defrosting assembly, the method
comprising: receiving a mode selection from a user, the mode being
selected from a plurality of modes including a defrosting mode, a
rapid cooling mode, and a general cooling mode; and controlling a
thermoelectric module and a damper of the defrosting assembly based
on the mode selection.
17. The method of claim 16, further comprising assembling the
defrosting assembly by sliding a defrosting device into a food
defrosting chamber of a refrigerator, wherein a guide hole on the
defrosting device mates to a thermoelectric module positioned in
the food defrosting chamber.
18. The method of claim 16, wherein receiving the mode selection
from a user comprises receiving a selection of the defrosting mode,
and wherein controlling the thermoelectric module and the damper of
the defrosting assembly based on the mode selection comprises:
controlling a thermoelectric plate of the thermoelectric module to
be on; controlling a fan of the thermoelectric module to be on; and
closing the damper.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein controlling the thermoelectric
plate of the thermoelectric module and the fan of the
thermoelectric module comprises controlling the thermoelectric
plate and the fan to be on for a predetermined period of time.
20. The method of claim 16, wherein receiving the mode selection
from a user comprises receiving a selection of the general cooling
mode, and wherein controlling the thermoelectric module and the
damper of the defrosting assembly based on the mode selection
comprises: controlling a thermoelectric plate of the thermoelectric
module to be off; controlling a fan of the thermoelectric module to
be off; and opening the damper.
21. The method of claim 16, wherein receiving the mode selection
from a user comprises receiving a selection of the rapid cooling
mode, and wherein controlling the thermoelectric module and the
damper of the defrosting assembly based on the mode selection
comprises: controlling a thermoelectric plate of the thermoelectric
module to be off; controlling a fan of the thermoelectric module to
be on; and opening the damper.
22. A method for controlling a defrosting assembly for a
refrigerator, the method comprising: assembling a defrosting
assembly by sliding a defrosting device into a food defrosting
chamber of a refrigerator, wherein a guide hole on the defrosting
device mates to a thermoelectric module positioned in the food
defrosting chamber; receiving a mode selection from a user; and
controlling the thermoelectric module and a damper provided on the
defrosting device based on the mode selection, wherein controlling
the thermoelectric module and the damper comprises: controlling a
thermoelectric plate of the thermoelectric module to generate heat;
controlling a fan of the thermoelectric module to circulate air
inside the defrosting device; and opening or closing the damper.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)
[0001] This application claims priority from Korean Patent
Application No. 10-2009-0066496 filed in Korea on Jul. 21, 2009,
the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND
[0002] 1. Field
[0003] A defrosting assembly, a refrigerator having the same, and a
method for controlling the same are disclosed herein.
[0004] 2. Background
[0005] A defrosting assembly, a refrigerator having the same, and a
method for controlling the same are known. However, they suffer
from various disadvantages.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] Embodiments will be described in detail with reference to
the following drawings in which like reference numerals refer to
like elements, and wherein:
[0007] FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of inner structure of a
refrigerator according to an embodiment;
[0008] FIG. 2 is a top exploded perspective view of a food
defrosting device and a thermoelectric module according to
embodiments;
[0009] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a thermoelectric
module according to an embodiment;
[0010] FIG. 4 is another top perspective view of the food
defrosting device and the thermoelectric module according to
embodiments; and
[0011] FIG. 5 is a flow chart of a method for controlling a
defrosting assembly of a refrigerator according to an
embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0012] Hereinafter, embodiments of a refrigerator will be described
in detail with reference to drawings. Where possible, like
reference numerals have been used to indicate like elements.
[0013] In general, a refrigerator is a home appliance that
refrigerates or freezes food. The refrigerator may comprise many
parts which drive a refrigeration cycle. The refrigerator may be an
appliance that maintains freshness of the food kept in a food
storage chamber by cooling the food storage chamber using chilled
air generated by the refrigeration cycle.
[0014] However, because the conventional refrigerator has a food
storage chamber configured only for cooling or freezing food, it
suffers from the disadvantage that a user must pull frozen food
from the food storage chamber to defrost in the kitchen. Defrosting
food in this manner not only takes a long time, but also pollutes
the kitchen while defrosting.
[0015] FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of inner structure of a
refrigerator according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a top exploded
perspective view of a food defrosting device and a food defrosting
chamber according to embodiments. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective
view of thermoelectric module according to an embodiment 40. FIG. 4
is another top perspective view of the food defrosting device and
the thermoelectric module according to additional embodiments. FIG.
5 is a flow chart of a method of controlling a defrosting assembly
of a refrigerator according to an embodiment.
[0016] Referring to FIG. 1, a refrigerator 1 according to an
embodiment may include a body 10, which may be arranged
perpendicularly to a floor of a kitchen or a living room, and a
first door 12A and a second door 12B, which may be arranged to
rotate at first and second sides of a front side of the body 10 in
order to open a food storage chamber 15 positioned on an inside of
the body 10.
[0017] The food storage chamber 15 may include a space for users to
store and maintain the freshness of food. The food storage chamber
15 may include an upper section and a lower section. Further, the
food storage chamber 15 may include a frozen food storage chamber
and a refrigerated food storage chamber as the upper or lower
sections. The food storage chamber 15 may also include a lower food
storage chamber 14, which may be configured as a gimchi storage
chamber or a vegetable storage chamber to store perishable foods,
for example, gimchi or vegetables.
[0018] A food defrosting chamber 20 may be divided from the upper
section or the lower section of the food storage chamber 15. The
food defrosting chamber 20 may be configured to rapidly defrost
frozen food. A front side of food defrosting chamber 20 may be
formed to be open and may be configured to receive a food
defrosting device 30, as shown in FIG. 1.
[0019] The food defrosting device 30 may be configured to be placed
in, and removed from, the food defrosting chamber 20. The food
defrosting device 30 may have a rectangular shape configured to
slide backwards and forwards into and out of the food defrosting
chamber 20, as shown in FIG. 2.
[0020] A handle 31 may be provided on a front surface of the food
defrosting device 30, to be used by users to slide the food
defrosting device 30 into and out of the food defrosting chamber
20. Further, the food defrosting device 30 may have an open upper
side and a receiving space 32, which may be configured to store
therein food to be defrosted.
[0021] Referring to FIGS. 2 to 4, the refrigerator 1 according to
this embodiment may include a thermoelectric module 40 positioned
in the food defrosting chamber 20 and configured to supply heat to
an inside of the food defrosting device 30 and to remove heat from
outside of the food defrosting device 30. Further, a damper 35 may
be positioned on the food defrosting device 30, configured to open
and close an opening hole 33 on the food defrosting device 30.
[0022] As set forth above, the thermoelectric module 40 may supply
heat to the inside of the food defrosting device 30. Referring to
FIGS. 3 to 4, the thermoelectric module 40 may include a
thermoelectric plate 41, a heat sink plate 42, and a fan 43. The
thermoelectric plate 41, which may be mounted in the food
defrosting chamber 20, may generate heat on a front side of the
thermoelectric plate 41 while generating chilled air on a back side
of the thermoelectric plate 41. In other words, the thermoelectric
plate 41 may generate heat on one surface by electric force, while
absorbing heat, that is cooling, on the opposite surface. The heat
sink plate 42 may be positioned on a front surface of the
thermoelectric plate 41 to absorb and diffuse the heat generated by
the thermoelectric plate 41. The fan 43, which may be positioned on
the front side of the heat sink plate 42, may blow the diffused
heat away from the heat sink plate 42 and circulate the air into
the food defrosting device 30.
[0023] The thermoelectric module 40 may operate through
thermoelectric heating and cooling principles using the Peltier
effect, which is well known in the art. The process may employ
applying a voltage to a thermoelectric semiconductor material of
two different types, for example, a P-type and a N-type. Heat
generated through this process may be harnessed on the
thermoelectric plate 41 and diffused into the heat sink plate
42.
[0024] The heat sink plate 42 may include a plurality of pins 42A,
or fins, that increase a heat transfer coefficient. The heat may be
transferred to the heat sink plate 42, which may then be blown away
by the fan 43. More particularly, the fan 43 may circulate the heat
stored on the heat sink plate 42 into the food defrosting device 30
to defrost the frozen food.
[0025] Referring now to FIG. 4, the damper 35 may be positioned on
the opening hole 33 provided in the food defrosting device 30, and
may be configured to open and close the opening hole 33. The damper
35 may control the air flow between the food defrosting device 30
and the food defrosting chamber 20.
[0026] The thermoelectric module 40 may be mounted at a rear of the
food defrosting chamber 20. When the food defrosting device 30
slides into, and is assembled with, the food defrosting chamber 20,
the front side of the thermoelectric plate 41 may face a back side
of the food defrosting device 30. Further, the heat sink plate 42
and the fan 43 may slide into and join with the food defrosting
device 30. To achieve this, the food defrosting device 30 may
further include a guide hole 34 (see FIG. 2) sized to allow the
heat sink plate 42, together with the fan 43 mounted thereon, to
pass through and into the food defrosting device 30. Thus, the heat
sink plate 42 and the fan 43 may pass through the guide hole 34,
leaving the front side of the thermoelectric plate 41 to face the
back side of the food defrosting device 30. In this manner, the
food defrosting device 30 may be assembled with the thermoelectric
module 40. Furthermore, the food defrosting chamber 20 and the food
defrosting device 30 may not be connected, except via the opening
hole 33 controlled by the damper 35; therefore, heat generated in
the food defrosting device 30 may not be transferred to the food
defrosting chamber 20 during the defrosting process. According to
this embodiment, when the food defrosting device 30 is slid into
and assembled with the food defrosting chamber 20, the heat sink
plate 42 and the fan 43 may be positioned inside the food
defrosting device 30 through the guide hole 34. Additionally, the
front side of the thermoelectric plate 41 may be positioned to face
the back side of the food defrosting device 30 and configured to
close the guide hole 34.
[0027] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, the embodiments are depicted as
having only one damper 35 provided in the food defrosting device
30. However, embodiments are not limited as to the number of the
dampers, and a plurality of dampers 35 may be provided. As the
number of damper 35 is increased, the heat transfer rate may be
increased between the food defrosting device 30 and the food
defrosting chamber 20. Further, the refrigerator 1 according to one
embodiment may further include a damper motor (not shown)
configured to open and close the damper 35 by rotation of the
damper motor.
[0028] Additionally, the refrigerator 1 according to one embodiment
may further include a controller 11, which may be positioned in the
body 10, that controls the damper 35 and the thermoelectric module
40. The controller 11 may be configured to control the refrigerator
1 to operate in several modes. If food defrosting is needed, the
controller 11 may place the refrigerator in the defrosting mode,
such that the food defrosting device 30 is operated. If food
defrosting is not need, the controller 11 may control the operation
of refrigerator 1 to be in the general cooling mode. If rapid
cooling is needed, the controller 11 may control the refrigerator
to be in the rapid cooling mode, such that food stored in the food
defrosting device 30 may be cooled more rapidly.
[0029] In the food defrosting mode, the heat generated by the
thermoelectric module 40 may be supplied or circulated into the
food defrosting device 30. However, the heat supplied to the food
defrosting device 30 must not leak into the food defrosting chamber
20. Therefore, in the defrosting mode, the controller 11 may be
configured to turn on the thermoelectric plate 41 and the fan 43,
and to close the damper 35.
[0030] In the general cooling mode and the rapid cooling mode,
refrigerated air from refrigerator 1 may be circulated smoothly
into the food defrosting device 30. Therefore, in the general
cooling mode, the controller 11 may be configured to turn off the
thermoelectric plate 41 and the fan 43, and to open the damper 35.
In the rapid cooling mode, the refrigerated air from refrigerator 1
may enter the food defrosting device 30 more rapidly, and may be
exchanged with the heat inside of the food defrosting device 30.
That is, in the rapid cooling mode, the controller 11 may be
configured to turn off the thermoelectric plate 41, and to turn on
the fan 43 and .sub.to open the damper 35.
[0031] The refrigerator 1 according to one embodiment may include
the food defrosting chamber 20, which may be divided from the food
storage chamber 15, and the food defrosting device 30, which may be
configured to slide into or out of the food defrosting chamber 20.
Therefore, it may be possible to reduce both the time required to
defrost frozen food, as well as the time required to clean the
kitchen.
[0032] Referring to FIG. 5, a method for controlling a defrosting
assembly of a refrigerator, such as the refrigerator 1 of FIGS.
1-4, according to an embodiment will be described herein below.
[0033] If a user selects a food defrosting mode, the controller 11
may control the thermoelectric plate 40 and the fan 43 to be on for
a fixed or predetermined period of time. At that time, the
controller 11 may control the damper 35 to close the opening hole
33 to prevent heat transfer between the food defrosting device 30
and the food defrosting chamber 20.
[0034] If a user wants to use the food defrosting device 30 as a
food storage chamber, a user may select the general cooling mode.
In the general cooling mode, the controller 11 may control the
thermoelectric plate 40 and the fan 43 to be off. At that time, the
controller 11 may control the damper 35 to be open, such that the
opening hole 33 transfers heat between the food defrosting device
30 and the food defrosting chamber 20.
[0035] If a user selects a rapid cooling mode, wherein food stored
in the food defrosting device 30 is cooled rapidly, the controller
11 may control the thermoelectric plate 40 to be off, the fan 43 to
be on, and the damper 35 to be open. Because the fan 43 is turned
on, heat transfer between the food defrosting device 30 and the
food defrosting chamber 20 may be rapid.
[0036] Referring now to FIG. 5, in step S500, the controller 11 may
receive a mode selection by a user. If the user mode selection is
determined to be the defrost mode, the controller 11 may operate
the food defrosting assembly in the defrost mode, in step S502. The
controller 11 may start a timer to operate the thermoelectric plate
41 and the fan 43 for a fixed or predetermined period of time, in
step S504. The controller 11 may control the thermoelectric plate
41 to be on, in step S506, the controller 11 may control the fan 43
to be on, in step S508, and the controller 11 may control the
damper 35 to be closed, in step S510. The controller 11 may then
determine whether the fixed or predetermined period of time has
expired. Once the fixed or predetermined time has expired, the
process may move to step S514, and the controller 11 may turn off
the thermoelectric plate 41. Further, the controller 11 may turn
off the fan 43, in step S516.
[0037] If the user mode selection is determined to be the general
cooling mode, in step S518, the controller 11 may operate the food
defrosting assembly in the general cooling mode. In steps 520 and
522, the controller 11 may control the thermoelectric plate 41 and
the fan 43, respectively, to be off. In step 524, the controller 11
may control the damper 35 to be open to allow chilled air from the
food storage chamber 15 to enter the food defrosting device 30.
Thus, the food defrosting device 30 may be used for general food
storage.
[0038] In step S526, if the user mode selection is determined to be
the rapid cooling mode, the controller 11 may operate the food
defrosting assembly in the rapid cooling mode. In step 528, the
controller 11 may control the thermoelectric plate 41 to be off.
Then, in steps 530 and 532, the controller 11 may control the fan
43 to be on and the damper 35 to be open, respectively. Thus, the
fan 43 may circulate chilled air faster through the open damper 35
from the food storage chamber 15 into the food defrosting device
30.
[0039] A refrigerator is disclosed herein, and more particularly, a
refrigerator having a food defrosting chamber 20 divided from a
food storage chamber, and further comprising a food defrosting
device positioned in, and removable from, the food defrosting
chamber 20 for performing the defrosting or cooling functions in a
single space by supplying heat to an inside of the food defrosting
device in a defrosting mode, and by supplying chilled air from an
outside of the food defrosting device in a general cooling mode or
a rapid cooling mode, using a thermoelectric module.
[0040] Any reference in this specification to "one embodiment," "an
embodiment," "example embodiment," etc., means that a particular
feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with
the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the
invention. The appearances of such phrases in various places in the
specification are not necessarily all referring to the same
embodiment. Further, when a particular feature, structure, or
characteristic is described in connection with any embodiment, it
is submitted that it is within the purview of one skilled in the
art to effect such feature, structure, or characteristic in
connection with other ones of the embodiments.
[0041] Although embodiments have been described with reference to a
number of illustrative embodiments thereof, it should be understood
that numerous other modifications and embodiments can be devised by
those skilled in the art that will fall within the spirit and scope
of the principles of this disclosure. More particularly, various
variations and modifications are possible in the component parts
and/or arrangements of the subject combination arrangement within
the scope of the disclosure, the drawings and the appended claims.
In addition to variations and modifications in the component parts
and/or arrangements, alternative uses will also be apparent to
those skilled in the art.
* * * * *