A two-compartment cooling apparatus which achieves a plurality of refrigeration cycles by controlling refrigerant paths, thus increasing cooling efficiency and cooling speed of the cooling apparatus. A compressed refrigerant provided by a compressor is selectively provided to first and/or second eva
A two-compartment cooling apparatus which achieves a plurality of refrigeration cycles by controlling refrigerant paths, thus increasing cooling efficiency and cooling speed of the cooling apparatus. A compressed refrigerant provided by a compressor is selectively provided to first and/or second evaporators via first, second and third expansion units and a path control unit. The path control unit controls the flow of the refrigerant through the expansion units and the evaporators to vary the cooling in the respective compartments in response to temperature measurements made in the respective compartments.
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1. A cooling apparatus, comprising:a compressor to compress a refrigerant;first and second evaporators to evaporate the compressed refrigerant;a first expansion unit serially connected with the compressor and the first evaporator, and which reduces a pressure of the refrigerant to expand the refrige
1. A cooling apparatus, comprising:a compressor to compress a refrigerant;first and second evaporators to evaporate the compressed refrigerant;a first expansion unit serially connected with the compressor and the first evaporator, and which reduces a pressure of the refrigerant to expand the refrigerant flowing into the first evaporator;second and third expansion units serially connected with the compressor and the second evaporator and which reduce a pressure of the refrigerant to expand the refrigerant flowing into the second evaporator; anda path control unit which selectively forms refrigerant paths, wherein:a first refrigerant path communicates the refrigerant flowing from the first evaporator into the second evaporator,a second refrigerant path communicates the refrigerant flowing from the first evaporator into the third expansion unit,a third refrigerant path communicates the refrigerant flowing from the second expansion unit into the second evaporator, anda fourth refrigerant path communicates the refrigerant flowing from the second expansion unit into the third expansion unit. 2. The cooling apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein a resistance applied to the refrigerant in the first expansion unit is smaller than a resistance applied to the refrigerant in the second expansion unit. 3. The cooling apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:a controller which controls the path control unit to form one of the refrigerant paths according to a cooling condition. 4. The cooling apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein:the first, second, and third expansion units each comprise a capillary tube. 5. The cooling apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein:the path control unit comprises a valve having three ports, the first of the three ports being connected to a line connecting the second expansion unit to the third expansion unit, the second of the three ports being connected with an outlet of the first evaporator, and the third of the three ports being connected with an in let of the second evaporator. 6. A cooling apparatus, comprising:a compressor to compress a refrigerant;first and second evaporators to evaporate the refrigerant compressed by the compressor;a first expansion unit serially connected with the compressor and the first evaporator, and which reduces a pressure of the refrigerant to expand the refrigerant flowing into the first evaporator;second and third expansion units serially connected with the compressor and the second evaporator and which reduce a pressure of the refrigerant to expand the refrigerant flowing into the second evaporator; anda path control unit which communicates with:an outlet of the first expansion unit and an inlet of the second expansion unit,an outlet of the first evaporator, and an inlet of the second evaporator, thus forming refrigerant paths; anda controller which controls the path control unit to control the refrigerant paths so that an extent of expansion of the refrigerant is controlled and the refrigerant is evaporated in either the first or second evaporator, or both the first and second evaporators. 7. The cooling apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein:the controller controls the path control unit to form a refrigerant path between the first and second evaporators so that the refrigerant expanded in the first expansion unit is sequentially evaporated in the first and second evaporating units. 8. The cooling apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein:the controller controls the path control unit to form a refrigerant path between the first evaporator and the third expansion unit so that the refrigerant expanded in the first expansion unit is evaporated in the first evaporator and the refrigerant expanded in the third expansion unit is evaporated in the second evaporator. 9. The cooling apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein;the controller controls the path control unit to form a refrigerant path between the second expansion unit and the second evaporator so that the refrigerant flowing from the compressor is expanded in the second expansion unit and is evaporated in the second evaporator. 10. The cooling apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein:the controller controls the path control unit to form a refrigerant path between the second and third expansion units so that the refrigerant flowing from the compressor is stepwisely expanded in the second and third expansion units, and is evaporated in the second evaporator. 11. A cooling apparatus, comprising:a compressor to compress a refrigerant;first and second evaporators to evaporate the refrigerant compressed by the compressor;first and second cooling chambers cooled by the first and second evaporators, respectively;a first expansion unit which reduces a pressure of the refrigerant to expand the refrigerant prior to flowing into the first evaporator;second and third expansion units connected to each other in series and which reduce a pressure of the refrigerant to expand the refrigerant prior to flowing into the second evaporator;a path control unit connected to a line which communicates the first expansion unit to the second expansion unit, an outlet of the first evaporator, and an inlet of the second evaporator, thus forming refrigerant paths; anda controller which controls the path control unit to control the refrigerant paths according to cooling conditions required by the first and second cooling chambers. 12. The cooling apparatus as set forth in claim 11, wherein:the controller controls the path control unit to form a refrigerant path between the first and second evaporators so that the refrigerant expanded in the first expansion unit is sequentially evaporated in the first and second evaporators, thus quickly cooling the first cooling chamber. 13. The cooling apparatus as set forth in claim 11, wherein:the controller controls the path control unit to form a refrigerant path between the first evaporator and the third expansion unit so that the refrigerant expanded in the first expansion unit is evaporated in the first evaporator and the refrigerant expanded in the third expansion unit is evaporated in the second evaporator, thus cooling both the first and second cooling chambers. 14. The cooling apparatus as set forth in claim 13, wherein:the first evaporator has a higher evaporating temperature than an evaporating temperature of the second evaporator, when cooling both the first and second cooling chambers. 15. The cooling apparatus as set forth in claim 11, wherein:the controller controls the path control unit to form a refrigerant path between the second expansion unit and the second evaporator so that the refrigerant flowing from the compressor is expanded in the second expansion unit and is evaporated in the second evaporator, thus cooling only the second cooling chamber. 16. The cooling apparatus as set forth in claim 11, wherein:the controller controls the path control unit to form a refrigerant path between the second and third expansion units so that the refrigerant flowing from the compressor is stepwisely expanded in the second and third expansion units, and is evaporated in the second evaporator, thus quickly cooling only the second cooling chamber. 17. A refrigerator/freezer, comprising:a compressor having an inlet and an outlet, and which compresses a refrigerant;a refrigerator chamber;a freezer chamber;first and second evaporators to cool the refrigerator and freezer chambers, respectively, each of the first and second evaporators having an inlet and an outlet, the outlet of the second evaporator being in fluid communication with the inlet of the compressor;first, second and third expansion units which expand the refrigerant, each of the first, second and third expansion units having an inlet and an outlet, the inlets of the first and second expansion units being in fluid communication with the outlet of the compressor, the outlet of the first expansion unit being in fluid communication with the inlet of the first evaporator, the outlet of the second expansion unit being in fluid communication with the inlet of the third expansion unit, and the outlet of the third expansion unit being in fluid communication with the inlet of the second evaporator;a first temperature sensor which monitors a temperature in the refrigerator chamber;a second temperature sensor which monitors a temperature in the freezer chamber;a path control unit having a first port in fluid communication with the outlet of the first evaporator, a second port in fluid communication with the outlet of the second expansion unit and the inlet of the third expansion unit, and a third port in fluid communication with the outlet of the third expansion unit and the inlet of the second evaporator; anda controller which controls the path control unit to control a flow of the refrigerant through the first, second and third ports to selectively cool the refrigerator and freezer chambers in response to the first and second temperature sensors. 18. The refrigerator/freezer as set forth in claim 17, wherein:a resistance of the second expansion unit is greater than a resistance of the first expansion unit; andthe controller controls the path control unit to fluidly connect the first, second and third ports, thereby directing the refrigerant flow sequentially through the first expansion unit, the first evaporator and the second evaporator. 19. The refrigerator/freezer as set forth in claim 17, wherein:a resistance of the second expansion unit is greater than a resistance of the first expansion unit; andthe controller controls the path control unit to fluidly connect the first and third ports, thereby directing the refrigerant flow sequentially through the first expansion unit, the first evaporator, the third expansion unit and the second evaporator. 20. The refrigerator/freezer as set forth in claim 17, wherein:the controller controls the path control unit to fluidly connect the second and third ports, thereby directing the refrigerant flow sequentially through the first expansion unit and the second evaporator. 21. The refrigerator/freezer as set forth in claim 18, wherein:the controller controls the path control unit to fluidly disconnect the first, second and third ports, thereby directing the refrigerant flow sequentially through the first and second expansion units and the second evaporator, to cool only the freezer.
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