Patent ID: 6014865
Filing Date: 2000-01-18
Classification: F24F,F25D

Abstract:
A refrigerator comprising:a body forming a cooling compartment;an evaporator for generating cool air to be supplied into said cooling compartment by evaporating refrigerant;a duct member forming a cool air duct for guiding the cool air generated from said evaporator, said duct member being formed with a plurality of cool air discharge ports opened in said cooling compartment;a heater for defrosting said evaporator;a door for opening/closing said cooling compartment;a means for sensing opening and closing of said door;a shutting member formed with a plurality of air holes and movable between a port-open position and a port-closed position for opening/closing said discharge ports, respectively:a motor for driving said shutting member between said port-open and port-closed positions;a power transmission for transmitting a power of said motor to said shutting member;a shutter sensor for sensing a position of said shutter member, said shutter sensor including a reed switch installed at a lower part of said power transmission and a magnet installed at a lower part of said shutting member to drive said reed switch when said magnet travels adjacent thereto; andcontrol means for:controlling said motor to move said shutter member to said port-closed position during a defrosting operation of said heater and/or when said sensor senses said door being open,stopping said motor in response to said sensor sensing said shutter member in said port-closed position, andcontrolling said motor to move said shutter member to said port-open position after a delay following a defrosting operation, to enable the evaporator temperature to be reduced before air is supplied thereto.