초록 ▼

A refrigerator and a control method thereof in which a smooth flow of a refrigerant can be provided through an effective control for a path change valve when a flow path of the refrigerant is changed between two evaporators having different pressures. The refrigerator includes low-pressure-side and

A refrigerator and a control method thereof in which a smooth flow of a refrigerant can be provided through an effective control for a path change valve when a flow path of the refrigerant is changed between two evaporators having different pressures. The refrigerator includes low-pressure-side and high-pressure-side evaporators, a path change device, and a controller. The path change device changes a refrigerant flow path between the low-pressure-side evaporator and the high-pressure-side evaporator, and has a simultaneous opening stage to simultaneously establish refrigerant flow paths respectively communicating with the low-pressure-side evaporator and high-pressure-side evaporator during the path change. The controller controls the path change device such that the simultaneous opening stage established when the refrigerant flow path is changed from the low-pressure-side evaporator to the high-pressure-side evaporator is longer than the simultaneous opening stage established when the refrigerant flow path is changed from the high-pressure-side evaporator to the low-pressure-side evaporator.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A refrigerator comprising: a plurality of evaporators comprising at least one low-pressure-side evaporator and at least one high-pressure-side evaporator; a path change device to change a flow path of a refrigerant between the low-pressure-side evaporator and the high-pressur

What is claimed is: 1. A refrigerator comprising: a plurality of evaporators comprising at least one low-pressure-side evaporator and at least one high-pressure-side evaporator; a path change device to change a flow path of a refrigerant between the low-pressure-side evaporator and the high-pressure-side evaporator, the path change device having a simultaneous opening stage to simultaneously establish refrigerant flow paths respectively communicating with the low-pressure-side evaporator and the high-pressure-side evaporator during the path change; and a controller to control the path change device such that the simultaneous opening stage established when the flow path of the refrigerant is changed from the low-pressure-side evaporator to the high-pressure-side evaporator is longer than the simultaneous opening stage established when the flow path of the refrigerant is changed from the high-pressure-side evaporator to the low-pressure-side evaporator. 2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein: the low-pressure-side evaporator is a freezing compartment evaporator to cool a freezing compartment of the refrigerator; and the high-pressure-side evaporator is a refrigerating compartment evaporator to cool a refrigerating compartment of the refrigerator. 3. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein; the simultaneous opening stage established when the flow path of the refrigerant is changed from the high-pressure-side evaporator to the low-pressure-side evaporator is an opening stage inevitably established due to a mechanical characteristic limitation of the path change device; and the simultaneous opening stage established when the flow path of the refrigerant is changed from the low-pressure-side evaporator to the high-pressure-side evaporator is an intentional opening stage longer than the inevitable simultaneous opening stage. 4. The refrigerator according to claim 3, wherein: the path change device is a 3-way valve to change the refrigerant flow path in accordance with a rotation of a stepping motor; and the mechanical characteristic limitation of the path change device is a rotating speed limitation of the stepping motor. 5. A method for controlling a refrigerator including a plurality of evaporators comprising at least one low-pressure-side evaporator and at least one high-pressure-side evaporator, and a path change device to change a flow path of a refrigerant between the low-pressure-side evaporator and the high-pressure-side evaporator, the path change device having a simultaneous opening stage to simultaneously establish refrigerant flow paths respectively communicating with the low-pressure-side evaporator and the high-pressure-side evaporator during the path change, the method comprising: controlling the path change device such that the simultaneous opening stage established when the flow path of the refrigerant is changed from the low-pressure-side evaporator to the high-pressure-side evaporator is longer than the simultaneous opening stage established when the flow path of the refrigerant is changed from the high-pressure-side evaporator to the low-pressure-side evaporator. 6. The method according to claim 5, wherein: the low-pressure-side evaporator is a freezing compartment evaporator to cool a freezing compartment of the refrigerator; and the high-pressure-side evaporator is a refrigerating compartment evaporator to cool a refrigerating compartment of the refrigerator. 7. The method according to claim 5, wherein: the simultaneous opening stage established when the flow path of the refrigerant is changed from the high-pressure-side evaporator to the low-pressure-side evaporator is an opening stage inevitably established due to a mechanical characteristic limitation of the path change device; and the simultaneous opening stage established when the flow path of the refrigerant is changed from the low-pressure-side evaporator to the high-pressure-side evaporator is an intentional opening stage longer than the inevitable simultaneous opening stage. 8. The method according to claim 7, wherein: the path change device is a 3-way valve to change the refrigerant flow path in accordance with a rotation of a stepping motor; and the mechanical characteristic limitation of the path change device is a rotating speed limitation of the stepping motor.