Refrigerator and method of controlling the same

Abstract

A refrigerator having at least one storage compartment, an evaporator cooling the storage compartment, a compressor, and a compressor driving part supplying electric power to the compressor, comprising: a heater heating a part of the refrigerator; a heater driving part supplying electric power to the heater; a temperature sensor sensing an inside temperature of the storage compartment and a controller controlling the heater driving part to turn off the heater when the inside temperature of the storage compartment sensed by the temperature sensor rises beyond a preset temperature in a state that the compressor is operated by the compressor driving part and cool air is supplied to the storage compartment through the evaporator. With this configuration, a refrigerator is provided which can minimize a rise in the inside temperature thereof when the compressor stops due to trouble, and restarts the compressor stably.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A refrigerator having at least one storage compartment, an evaporator cooling the storage compartment, a compressor, and a compressor driving part supplying electric power to the compressor, comprising: 
 a heater heating a part of the refrigerator;    a heater driving part supplying electric power to the heater;    a temperature sensor sensing an inside temperature of the storage compartment; and    a controller controlling the heater driving part to turn off the heater when the inside temperature of the storage compartment sensed by the temperature sensor rises beyond a preset temperature in a state that the compressor is operated by the compressor driving part and cool air is supplied to the storage compartment through the evaporator.    
     
     
         2 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein the heater comprises: 
 at least one of a heater to defrost the evaporator, a heater to heat a sliding door bearing, a heater to remove dew, and a heater to ripen food.    
     
     
         3 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a valve to adjust an amount of refrigerant flowing into the evaporator,    wherein the controller controls the heater driving part to turn off the heater when the inside temperature of the storage compartment sensed by the temperature sensor rises beyond the preset temperature in a state that the compressor is operated by the compressor driving part and the valve is opened.    
     
     
         4 . A method of controlling a refrigerator which comprises at least one storage compartment, an evaporator cooling the storage compartment, a valve to adjust an amount of refrigerant flowing into the evaporator, a compressor, a compressor driving part supplying electric power to the compressor, and a heater heating a part of the refrigerator, comprising: 
 determining whether the compressor is operated by the compressor driving part;    determining whether an inside temperature of the storage compartment sensed by a temperature sensor rises beyond a preset temperature when the compressor is determined to be operating; and    turning off the heater when the inside temperature of the storage compartment is determined to have risen beyond the preset temperature.    
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 4 , further comprising: 
 determining whether the valve is opened and cool air is supplied to the storage compartment when the compressor is determined to be operating, the determining whether an inside temperature of the storage compartment rises beyond the preset temperature occurs when the valve is determined to be opened.    
     
     
         6 . A refrigerator with a storage compartment disposed therein and a compressor operable to compress a refrigerant to cool the storage compartment, comprising: 
 a heater to heat a portion of the refrigerator; and    a controller controlling the heater such that when the compressor is overloaded, the heater is stopped.    
     
     
         7 . The refrigerator according to  claim 6 , further comprising: 
 a temperature sensor to sense an inside temperature of the storage compartment;    a valve sensor to sense an opened state or a closed state of a valve, which adjusts an amount of cool air supplied to the storage compartment; and    a shut-off unit to shut off an electric supply to the heater,    wherein the controller controls the shut-off unit such that the shut-off shuts off the heater when the compressor is determined to be overloaded according to results sensed by the temperature sensor and the valve sensor.    
     
     
         8 . A refrigerator with a storage compartment, an evaporator operable to supply cool air to the storage compartment, and a compressor operable to compress a refrigerant, comprising: 
 a heater disposed in the refrigerator and operable to heat at least a portion of the refrigerator;    a temperature sensor to sense an inside temperature of the storage compartment; and    a controller controlling an operation to stop of the heater when the inside temperature of the storage compartment is greater than a preset temperature, the compressor is operated to compress the refrigerant and the evaporator is operated to supply cool air to the storage compartment.    
     
     
         9 . The refrigerator according to  claim 8 , further comprising: 
 a overload protector to provide overload protection to the compressor by shutting off the compressor when the compressor is overloaded.    
     
     
         10 . The refrigerator according to  claim 9 , wherein the overload protector operates independent of the controller.  
     
     
         11 . The refrigerator according to  claim 8 , wherein the heater comprises: 
 at least one of a heater to defrost the evaporator, a heater to heat a sliding door bearing, a heater to remove dew, and a heater to ripen food.    
     
     
         12 . The refrigerator according to  claim 8 , further comprising: 
 a heater driving part to supply electric power to the heater,    wherein the controller controls the heater driving part to shut off the electric power to the heater when the compressor is stopped.    
     
     
         13 . The refrigerator according to  claim 8 , further comprising: 
 a valve to adjust an amount of refrigerant flowing into the evaporator,    wherein the controller controls the operation to stop the heater when the inside temperature of the storage compartment sensed by the temperature sensor is greater than the preset temperature, the compressor is operated to compress the refrigerant and the valve is opened.    
     
     
         14 . A method of controlling a refrigerator with a storage compartment disposed therein and a compressor operable to compress a refrigerant to cool the storage compartment, comprising: 
 heating a portion of the refrigerator using a heater; and    controlling the heater such that when the compressor is overloaded, the heater is stopped.    
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 14 , further comprising: 
 sensing an inside temperature of the storage compartment; and    sensing an opened state or a closed state of a valve to adjust an amount of cool air supplied to the storage compartment,    wherein the compressor is determined to be overloaded according to results sensed by the temperature sensor and the valve sensor such that the heater is shut off when the compressor is determined to be overloaded.    
     
     
         16 . A method of controlling a refrigerator having a storage compartment, an evaporator operable to supply cool air to the storage compartment, a compressor operable to compress a refrigerant and a heater operable to heat at least a portion of the refrigerator, the method comprising: 
 sensing an inside temperature of the storage compartment; and    stopping an operation of the heater when the inside temperature of the storage compartment is greater than a preset temperature, the compressor is operated to compress the refrigerant and the evaporator is operated to supply cool air to the storage compartment.    
     
     
         17 . A method of controlling a refrigerator having therein a storage compartment, an evaporator to cool the storage compartment, a valve to adjust an amount of refrigerant flowing into the evaporator, a compressor, a compressor driving part to supply electric power to the compressor, a heater heating at least a portion of the refrigerator, and a sensor to sense an inside temperature of the storage compartment, comprising: 
 determining whether the compressor is being operated by the compressor driving part;    determining whether an inside temperature the storage compartment is greater than a preset temperature when the compressor is determined to be operating; and    stopping the heater when the inside temperature of the storage compartment is determined to be greater than the preset temperature.    
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17 , further comprising: 
 determining whether the valve is opened and cool air is supplied to the storage compartment when the compressor is determined to be operating,    stopping the heater after the inside temperature of the storage compartment is determined to be greater than the preset temperature, the valve is determined to be opened and the cool air is determined to be supplied to the storage compartment.    
     
     
         19 . A method of controlling a refrigerator with a storage compartment disposed therein and a compressor operable to compress a refrigerant to cool the storage compartment, comprising: 
 minimizing a temperature change in the storage compartment of the refrigerator by shutting off a heater when the compressor is not operating in a normal state.