Patent Publication Number: US-2007119194-A1

Title: Refrigerator and control method for the same

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
      This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2005-0108434, filed on Nov. 14, 2005, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates to a refrigerator and a control method therefor, and more particularly, to a refrigerator and a control method therefor making and supplying shaved ice.  
      2. Description of the Related Art  
      Generally, a refrigerator includes a refrigerating compartment and a freezing compartment preserving various foods in an optimum state for a long period. The refrigerating compartment preserves refrigerated foods such as vegetables, fruits and the like which should be preserved above the freezing point, and the freezing compartment preserves frozen foods such as fish, meat and the like which should be preserved below the freezing point.  
      The freezing compartment is provided with an ice maker making ice cubes having a predetermined size by using cool air circulating through the freezing compartment, and an ice storing part storing the ice cubes made by the ice maker. The ice cubes stored in the ice storing part are discharged to the exterior in a cubic ice state or a crushed ice state, and the configuration of the ice storing part is disclosed in Korean Patent Application No. 1998-49615.  
      However, in the conventional refrigerator, there is no ice shaving unit shaving ice cubes made by the ice maker to shaved ice, and accordingly, it is difficult for a user to obtain the shaved ice.  
      Also, although the conventional refrigerator includes the ice shaving unit interlocking with the ice storing part, in the conventional refrigerator, an ice transferring motor of the ice storing part and an ice shaving motor driving the ice shaving unit are simultaneously turned on/off to make the shaved ice, as illustrated in  FIG. 7 .  
      In the case of making the shaved ice with the conventional refrigerator, when the ice shaving motor is driven, the ice transferring motor is simultaneously driven and supplies ice cubes to the ice shaving unit. When the ice shaving motor is stopped, the ice transferring motor is simultaneously stopped.  
      Since the ice transferring motor and the ice shaving motor are simultaneously stopped, the ice shaving motor may be stopped in the state that the ice cubes discharged from the ice storing part remain in the ice shaving unit. Thus, when the ice shaving unit is driven again, since the predetermined amount of ice cubes is supplied to the ice shaving unit from the ice storing part, the ice shaving unit overflows with the ice cubes. Accordingly, the ice cubes supplied to the ice shaving unit may be obtained from the ice shaving unit, and relevant parts may be damaged. Also, when that the ice shaving unit is again driven after the ice shaving unit is stopped with the ice remaining therein for a long time, the ice shaving unit may be damaged by the ice frozen thereto.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      Accordingly, it is an aspect of the present invention to provide a refrigerator and a control method thereof capable of obtaining the desired amount of shaved ice, and preventing ice overflow and damage of relevant parts due to an excessive supply of ice cubes.  
      Additional aspects and/or advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention.  
      The foregoing and/or other aspects of the present invention can be achieved by providing a control method of a refrigerator comprising an ice storing part storing and discharging ice cubes, an ice shaving unit shaving the ice cubes discharged from the ice storing part to make shaved ice, an ice transferring driving part supplying the ice cubes stored in the ice storing part to the ice shaving unit, and an ice shaving unit driving part driving the ice shaving unit to make the shaved ice, comprising: setting on/off reference times for the ice transferring driving part so that the ice transferring driving part operates according to a predetermined operation period; storing final on/off times elapsed from a final operation period of the ice transferring driving part when the ice shaving unit driving part is stopped; and driving the ice transferring driving part for final on/off times remaining from the final operation period, and then driving the ice transferring driving part according to the operation period when the ice shaving unit driving part is driven again.  
      According to an aspect of the present invention, the control method further comprises: measuring on/off times of the ice transferring driving part driven according to the operation period when the ice shaving unit driving part is driven, and measuring new on/off times of the ice transferring driving part if the measured on/off times correspond to the operation period.  
      According to an aspect of the present invention, the final on/off times elapsed from the final operation period of the ice transferring driving part are stored irrespective of power to the refrigerator being on or off.  
      According to an aspect of the present invention, the refrigerator further comprises a shaved ice operation switch driving the ice shaving unit driving part and the ice transferring driving part to make the shaved ice, and an ice lever to discharge the ice, and the method further comprises driving the ice shaving unit driving part and the ice transferring driving part during an operation of the ice lever.  
      According to an aspect of the present invention, the refrigerator further comprises a shaved ice operation switch driving the ice shaving unit driving part and the ice transferring driving part to make the shaved ice, and an ice lever to discharge the ice, and the method further comprising driving the ice shaving unit driving part and the ice transferring driving part during an operation of the ice lever.  
      According to an aspect of the present invention, the refrigerator further comprises a shaved ice operation switch driving the ice shaving unit driving part and the ice transferring driving part to make the shaved ice, and an ice lever to discharge the ice, and the method further comprises driving the ice shaving unit driving part and the ice transferring driving part during an operation of the ice lever.  
      The foregoing and/or other aspects of the present invention can also be achieved by providing a refrigerator comprising an ice storing part storing and discharging ice cubes; an ice shaving unit shaving the ice cubes discharged from the ice storing part to make shaved ice; an ice transferring driving part supplying the ice cubes stored in the ice storing part to the ice shaving unit; and an ice shaving unit driving part driving the ice shaving unit to make the shaved ice; and a control part setting on/off reference times for the ice transferring driving part so that the ice transferring part operates according to a predetermined operation period, storing final on/off times elapsed from a final operation period of the ice transferring driving part when the ice shaving unit driving part is stopped, and driving the ice transferring driving part for on/off times remaining from the final operation period and then driving the ice transferring driving part according to the operation period when the ice shaving unit driving part is driven again.  
      According to an aspect of the present invention, the control part measures on/off times of the ice transferring driving part driven according to the operation period when the ice shaving unit driving part is driven, and measures new on/off times of the ice transferring driving part if the measured on/off times correspond to the operation period.  
      According to an aspect of the present invention, the control part stores the final on/off times elapsed from the final operation period of the ice transferring driving part irrespective of power to the refrigerator being on or off.  
      According to an aspect of the present invention, the refrigerator further comprises a shaved ice operation switch driving the ice shaving unit driving part and the ice transferring driving part to make the shaved ice, and an ice lever to discharge the ice, wherein the ice shaving unit driving part and the ice transferring driving part are driven during an operation of the ice lever.  
      According to an aspect of the present invention, the refrigerator further comprises a shaved ice operation switch driving the ice shaving unit driving part and the ice transferring driving part to make the shaved ice, and an ice lever to discharge the ice, wherein the ice shaving unit driving part and the ice transferring driving part are driven during an operation of the ice lever.  
      According to an aspect of the present invention, the refrigerator further comprises a shaved ice operation switch driving the ice shaving unit driving part and the ice transferring driving part to make the shaved ice, and an ice lever to discharge the ice, wherein the ice shaving unit driving part and the ice transferring driving part are driven during an operation of the ice lever.  
      The foregoing and/or other aspects of the present invention can be also achieved by providing a control method of a refrigerator comprising an ice storing part storing and discharging ice cubes, an ice shaving unit shaving the ice cubes discharged from the ice storing part to make shaved ice, an ice transferring driving part supplying the ice cubes stored in the ice storing part to the ice shaving unit, and an ice shaving unit driving part driving the ice shaving unit to make the shaved ice, comprising: setting on/off reference times for the ice transferring driving part making the shaved ice; driving the ice shaving unit driving part; driving the ice transferring driving part to be driven/stopped according to the on/off reference times; stopping the ice transferring driving part if the ice shaving unit driving part is stopped, and storing final on/off times of the ice transferring driving part; storing differences between the on/off reference times and the final on/off times; and driving the ice transferring driving part according to the stored differences when the ice shaving unit driving part is driven again.  
      According to an aspect of the present invention, the ice transferring part and the ice shaving unit driving part are simultaneously driven.  
      According to an aspect of the present invention, if the final on time of the ice transferring driving part is less than the on reference time, the ice transferring driving part is driven according to a difference between the on reference time and the final on time when the ice shaving unit driving part is driven again.  
      According to an aspect of the present invention, if the final off time of the ice transferring driving part is less than the off reference time, the ice transferring driving part is stopped according to a difference between the off reference time and the final off time when the ice shaving unit driving part is driven again.  
      According to an aspect of the present invention, the control method further comprises: operating a shaved ice operation switch; pushing an ice lever; and transferring the ice cubes discharged from the ice storing part to the ice shaving unit with a rotation blade disposed in a front side of the ice storing part.  
      According to an aspect of the present invention, the control method further comprises: operating a shaved ice operation switch; pushing an ice lever; and transferring the ice cubes discharged from the ice storing part to the ice shaving unit with a rotation blade disposed in a front side of the ice storing part.  
      According to an aspect of the present invention, the control method further comprises: operating a shaved ice operation switch; pushing an ice lever; and transferring the ice cubes discharged from the ice storing part to the ice shaving unit with a rotation blade disposed in a front side of the ice storing part.  
      According to an aspect of the present invention, the control method further comprises: operating a shaved ice operation switch; pushing an ice lever; and transferring the ice cubes discharged from the ice storing part to the ice shaving unit with a rotation blade disposed in a front side of the ice storing part. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      The above and/or other aspects and advantages of the prevent invention will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:  
       FIG. 1  is a front view illustrating a refrigerator having an open portion, according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 2  is a combined perspective view illustrating an ice storing part and an ice shaving unit of  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 3  is a side view illustrating a dispenser of  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 4  is a control block diagram of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 5  is a control period diagram of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 6  is a control flowchart of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention; and  
       FIG. 7  is a control period diagram of a conventional refrigerator. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
      Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiment of the present invention, an example of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout. The embodiment is described below so as to explain the present invention by referring to the figures.  
      As shown in FIGS.  1  to  3 , a refrigerator according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is a side by side type and includes a freezing compartment  5 , a freezing compartment door  9 , an ice storing part  21  provided to the freezing compartment  5 , a dispenser  41 , and an ice shaving unit  61  shaving ice cubes discharged from the ice storing part  21  thereby making shaved ice.  
      A refrigerating compartment  3  and the freezing compartment  5  are divided left and right by a middle partition formed to a main body  1 . A refrigerating compartment door  7  and the freezing compartment door  9  are provided to respectively open/close front opening parts of the refrigerating compartment  3  and the freezing compartment  5 . Door guards  11  are disposed up and down an inner side of the doors  7  and  9  to accommodate bottles or the like. A plurality of shelves  13  are disposed up and down in an upper portion of the refrigerating compartment  3  formed in a right side of the main body  1  to divide the refrigerating compartment  3 , and a plurality of drawers  15  are provided in a lower portion of the refrigerating compartment  3 .  
      The ice storing part  21  is provided in an upper portion of the freezing compartment  5  to store the ice cubes made in an ice making compartment (not shown) which is supplied with water from the outside and makes the ice cubes.  
      Referring to  FIG. 2 , the ice storing pat  21  includes an ice storing container  23  formed with an opening  25 , an ice transferring driving part  27  transferring the ice cubes stored in the ice storing container  23  to the ice shaving unit  61 , and a front cover  31  formed with a first discharging part  31   a  and a second discharging part  31   b  respectively guiding the ice cubes discharged from the opening  25  to the ice shaving unit  61  and an ice duct  51 . Also, the ice storing part  21  includes a rotation blade  33 , a stationary blade  35 , and levers  37   a  and  37   b  provided at a side of the opening  25 .  
      The ice transferring driving part  27  includes a rotation body  28  discharging the ice cubes stored in the ice storing container  23  into the opening  25  to transfer the ice cubes to the ice shaving unit  61 , and an ice transferring motor  29  rotating the rotation body  28 .  
      The levers  37   a  and  37   b  are rotatably provided to the ice storing container  23 , and respectively open/close the first discharging part  31   a  and the second discharging part  31   b.    
      The freezing compartment door  9  is provided with the dispenser  41  receiving the ice cubes of the ice storing part  21  from the outside, and the ice duct  51  guiding the shaved ice discharged from a shaved ice discharging part  67  to the dispenser  41 .  
      The dispenser  41  includes an operation panel  43  for selection of an ice type and input of a control command, an ice lever  45  for ice discharge, and a water lever  47  for water discharge. The operation panel  43  is provided with a shaved ice operation switch  49  ( FIG. 4 ) driving the ice transferring driving part  27  and an ice shaving unit driving part  75 .  
      The ice shaving unit  61  includes a stationary tray  65  provided with the shaved ice discharging part  67 , a blade (not shown) provided at the shaved ice discharging part  67 , and a rotation tray  71  rotatably combined with the stationary tray  65 .  
      The ice shaving unit driving part  75  rotates the rotation tray  71  of the ice shaving unit  61  to make the shaved ice.  
      When ice cubes are supplied to the stationary tray  65  connected with the first discharging part  31   a , the ice cubes are shaved by the blade that is rotated by the rotation tray  71  to be discharged through the shaved ice discharging part  67 . The discharged shaved ice is discharged to the dispenser  41  through the ice duct  51 .  
      The refrigerator includes a control part  81  setting on/off reference times so that the ice transferring driving part  27  has a predetermined operation period, storing final on/off times elapsed from a final operation period of the ice transferring driving part  27  when the ice shaving unit driving part  75  is stopped, and driving the ice transferring driving part  27  for the remaining final on/off times of the final operation period and then driving the ice transferring driving part  27  according to the operation period when the ice shaving unit driving part  75  is driven again.  
      Also, when the ice shaving unit driving part  75  is driven, the control part  81  measures on/off times of the ice transferring driving part  27  driven according to the operation period and measures new on/off times of the ice transferring driving part  27  if the measured on/off times of the ice transferring driving part  27  correspond to the on/off reference times of the operation period.  
      Also, the control part  81  stores the final on/off times elapsed from the final operation period of the ice transferring driving part  27  irrespective of the power being off.  
      Also, the control part  81  drives the ice shaving unit driving part  75  and the ice transferring driving part  27  during an operation time of the shaved ice operation switch  49 .  
      Referring to FIGS.  4  to  6 , a control method of discharging the shaved ice for the refrigerator with the above configuration will be described.  
      As shown in  FIG. 5 , at first, on reference time T 1,ref  and off reference time T 2,ref  are set to the control part  81  so that the ice transferring driving part  27  is driven according to a predetermined operation period T 1,ref +T 2,ref  (S 10 ). Here, the on reference time T 1,ref  is the time for which the ice transferring driving part  27  is driven to supply the ice cubes to the ice shaving unit driving part  75 , and the off reference time T 2,ref  is the time for which the ice transferring driving part  27  is stopped so as not to supply the ice cubes thereto. The off reference time T 2,ref  is greater than the on reference time T 1,ref , and accordingly, the amount of ice cubes to be shaved by the ice shaving unit driving part  75  may be smaller than the amount of ice cubes supplied by the ice transferring driving part  27 . This prevents ice overflow and damage of relevant parts due to an excessive supply of the ice cubes.  
      The on/off reference times T 1,ref  and T 2,ref  may be set before the refrigerator is initially driven, but alternatively, the on/off reference times T 1,ref  and T 2,ref  may be set by a user while the refrigerator is in use.  
      Then, the user operates the shaved ice operation switch  49  to obtain the shaved ice from the dispenser  41  (S 20 ), and pushes the ice lever  45  with a container to contain the shaved ice (S 25 ). Then, the control part  81  drives the ice shaving unit driving part  75  and the ice transferring driving part  27  according to an operation of the ice lever  45 . While operating the ice lever  45 , the ice shaving unit driving part  75  is continuously driven, and the ice transferring driving part  27  drives or stops according to the operation period T 1,ref +T 2,ref . On the other hand, in the case that the user does not operate the shaved ice operation switch  49  and the ice lever  45 , the control part  81  does not drive the ice shaving unit driving part  75  and the ice transferring driving part  27  (S 30  and S 40 ).  
      When the ice shaving unit driving part  75  is driven (S 50 ), the control part  81  measures on/of times T 1  and T 2  of the ice transferring driving part  27  driven according to the operation period T 1,ref +T 2,ref  (S 60 ), and then stores the measured on/off times T 1  and T 2 (S 70 ).  
      Then, the control part  81  compares the stored on/off times T 1  and T 2  with the on/off reference times T 1,ref  and T 2,ref  (S 80 ).  
      While the ice lever  45  is pushed, if the measured on time T 1  is smaller than the on reference time T 1,ref , the control part  81  drives the ice transferring driving part  27  until the on reference time (S 90 ). However, if the measured on time T 1  is greater than the on reference time T 1,ref , the control part  81  stops the ice transferring driving part  27  (S 100 ).  
      Then, in the state that the ice transferring driving part  27  is stopped, the control part  81  measures off time T 2  of the ice transferring driving part  27 , and compares the measured off time T 2  with the off reference time T 2,ref  (S 110 ). If the measured off time T 2  is greater than the off reference time T 2,ref , that is, if the measured on/off times T 1  and T 2  are greater than the operation period T 1,ref +T 2,ref , on time T 1  of the ice transferring driving part  27  is measured again. That is, on/off times of the ice transferring driving part  27  are remeasured (S 120 ).  
      The ice shaving unit driving part  75  shaves the ice cubes periodically supplied by the ice transferring driving part  27  and discharges the shaved cubes through the dispenser  41 .  
      If the user releases the container from the ice lever  45  to stop obtaining the shaved ice, the control part  81  stops the ice shaving unit driving part  75  and the ice transferring driving part  27  simultaneously.  
      When the ice shaving unit driving part  75  and the ice transferring driving part  27  are stopped, the control part  81  measures and stores final on/off times X and Y elapsed from a final operation period of the ice transferring driving part  27 . The control part  80  stores the final on/off times X and Y elapsed from the final operation period of the ice transferring driving part  27  irrespective of the power off.  
      Then, the user again operates the ice lever  45  to obtain the shaved ice, the control part  81  again drives the ice shaving unit driving part  75  and the ice transferring driving part  27  based on the operation of the ice lever  45 .  
      Then, the control part  81  drives or stops the ice transferring driving part  27  for the remaining times T 1,ref −X and T 2,ref −Y, which are subtracted from the on/off reference times by the final on/off times X and Y, and then drives the ice transferring driving part  27  according to the operation period. For example, as illustrated in  FIG. 5 , in a second operation of the ice shaving unit driving part  75 , the control part  81  drives the ice transferring driving part  27  to supply the ice cubes to the ice shaving unit driving part  75  for time T 1,ref −X. Also, in a third operation of the ice shaving unit driving part  75 , the control part  81  stops the ice transferring driving part  27  for time T 2,ref −Y, and then drives the ice transferring driving part  27  according to the operation period T 1,ref +T 2,ref .  
      With this configuration, the ice transferring driving part  27  can supply the regular amount of the ice cubes to the ice shaving unit driving part  75  irrespective of the operation of the ice shaving unit driving part  75  according to the operation method.  
      Accordingly, the refrigerator and the control method thereof can allow the user to obtain the desired amount of the shaved ice, and prevent an excessive supply of the ice, and thereby preventing the ice overflow and damage of relevant parts.  
      Although an embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in this embodiment without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the claims and their equivalents.