Refrigerator and method of controlling the same

Abstract

A refrigerator including [comprising a main body forming a refrigerator compartment and a freezer compartment, each of a freezer compartment main duct and a refrigerator compartment main duct comprising at least one exiting hole and one returning hole communicating respectively with the freezer compartment and the refrigerator compartment, a freezer compartment evaporator and a refrigerator compartment evaporator provided in the freezer compartment main duct and the refrigerator compartment main duct, respectively, and generating cooling air, and a freezer compartment fan and a refrigerator compartment fan provided in the freezer compartment main duct and the refrigerator compartment main duct, respectively, to let out the cooling air generated in the freezer compartment evaporator and the refrigerator compartment evaporator, respectively, through the exiting hole and to return the cooling air in the freezer compartment and the refrigerator compartment through the returning hole, comprising:] an auxiliary storage provided in a main body; an auxiliary supply duct, branched off from one of a freezer compartment main duct and a refrigerator compartment main duct, to supply the cooling air transferred by a corresponding fan to a auxiliary storage; an auxiliary returning duct returning the cooling air in the auxiliary storage to a corresponding main duct; and an auxiliary damper in at least one of the auxiliary supply duct and the auxiliary returning duct, to open and close to respectively supply and block the cooling air to the auxiliary storage.

1 . A refrigerator comprising a main body forming a refrigerator compartment and a freezer compartment, each of a freezer compartment main duct and a refrigerator compartment main duct including at least one exiting hole and one returning hole communicating respectively with the freezer compartment and the refrigerator compartment, a freezer compartment evaporator and a refrigerator compartment evaporator in the freezer compartment main duct and the refrigerator compartment main duct, respectively, to generate cooling air, and a freezer compartment fan and a refrigerator compartment fan provided in the freezer compartment main duct and the refrigerator compartment main duct, respectively, to let out the cooling air generated in the freezer compartment evaporator and the refrigerator compartment evaporator, respectively, through the exiting hole and to return the cooling air in the freezer compartment and the refrigerator compartment through the returning hole, the refrigerator comprising: 
 an auxiliary storage in the main body;    an auxiliary supply duct, which is branched off from one of the freezer compartment main duct and the refrigerator compartment main duct, to supply the cooling air, which is transferred by a corresponding fan to the auxiliary storage;    an auxiliary returning duct to return the cooling air in the auxiliary storage to a corresponding main duct; and    an auxiliary damper included in at least one of the auxiliary supply duct and the auxiliary returning duct, to open and close to respectively supply block the cooling air to the auxiliary storage.    
   
   
       2 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , further comprising a refrigerator compartment damper, in the refrigerator compartment main duct, to open and close to respectively supply and block the cooling air to the refrigerator compartment.  
   
   
       3 . The refrigerator according to  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 a refrigerator compartment temperature detector to detect a temperature in the refrigerator compartment;    a refrigerator compartment fan driver to drive the refrigerator compartment fan;    an auxiliary damper driver and a refrigerator compartment damper driver to respectively drive the auxiliary damper and the refrigerator compartment damper in at least one of the auxiliary supply duct and the auxiliary returning duct, which communicates with the refrigerator compartment main duct; and    a controller to control the refrigerator compartment fan driver, the refrigerator compartment damper driver, and the auxiliary damper driver such that a refrigerator compartment temperature reaches a refrigerator compartment pre-set temperature by driving the refrigerator fan, opening the refrigerator compartment damper, and closing the auxiliary damper, if the refrigerator compartment temperature detected by the refrigerator compartment temperature detector is higher than the refrigerator compartment pre-set temperature.    
   
   
       4 . The refrigerator according to  claim 3 , further comprising an auxiliary storage temperature detector to detect a temperature in the auxiliary storage, wherein the controller controls the refrigerator compartment damper driver and the auxiliary damper driver to make the temperature of the auxiliary storage reach an auxiliary storage pre-set temperature by closing the refrigerator compartment damper, and opening the auxiliary damper, if the temperature of the auxiliary storage detected by the auxiliary storage temperature detector is higher than the auxiliary storage pre-set temperature.  
   
   
       5 . The refrigerator according to  claim 4 , wherein the controller controls a cooling cycle in an order of the refrigerator compartment and the auxiliary storage, if the refrigerator compartment temperature and the temperature of the auxiliary storage detected by the refrigerator compartment temperature detector and the auxiliary storage temperature detector, respectively, are determined to be higher than the refrigerator compartment pre-set temperature and the auxiliary storage pre-set temperature.  
   
   
       6 . The refrigerator according to  claim 5 , wherein the controller controls the refrigerator compartment fan driver, the refrigerator compartment damper driver, and the auxiliary damper driver to stop the driving of the refrigerator compartment fan and to close the refrigerator compartment damper and the auxiliary damper, if the refrigerator compartment temperature, detected by the refrigerator compartment temperature detector, is determined to have reached the refrigerator compartment pre-set temperature and the temperature of the auxiliary storage, detected by the auxiliary storage temperature detector, is determined to have reached the auxiliary storage pre-set temperature.  
   
   
       7 . The refrigerator according to  claim 6 , wherein the controller controls the refrigerator compartment fan driver, the refrigerator compartment damper driver, and the auxiliary damper driver to respectively drive the refrigerator compartment fan, open the refrigerator compartment damper, and close the auxiliary damper, if the cooling cycles of the freezer compartment, the refrigerator compartment, and the auxiliary storage are determined to have been completed and a frost removal cycle should be implemented.  
   
   
       8 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 an auxiliary storage temperature detector to detect a temperature in the auxiliary storage;    a freezer compartment fan driver to drive the freezer compartment fan;    an auxiliary damper driver to drive the auxiliary damper provided in at least one of the auxiliary supply duct and the auxiliary returning duct, which communicates with the freezer compartment main duct; and    a controller to control the freezer compartment fan driver and the auxiliary damper driver such that the temperature of the auxiliary storage reaches an auxiliary storage pre-set temperature by driving the freezer compartment fan and opening the auxiliary damper, if the temperature of the auxiliary storage detected by the auxiliary storage temperature detector is higher than the auxiliary storage pre-set temperature.    
   
   
       9 . The refrigerator according to  claim 8 , wherein the controller controls the auxiliary damper driver to close the auxiliary damper, if the temperature of the auxiliary storage detected by the auxiliary storage temperature detector is determined to have reached the auxiliary storage pre-set temperature.  
   
   
       10 . The refrigerator according to  claim 9 , further comprising the refrigerator compartment fan driver to drive the refrigerator compartment fan, wherein the controller controls the refrigerator compartment fan driver to drive the refrigerator compartment fan, if the cooling cycles of the freezer compartment, the refrigerator compartment, the auxiliary storage are determined to have been completed and the frost removal cycle should be implemented.  
   
   
       11 . A method of controlling a refrigerator comprising a main body forming a refrigerator compartment and a freezer compartment, each of a freezer compartment main duct and a refrigerator compartment main duct including at least one exiting hole and one returning hole communicating respectively with the freezer compartment and the refrigerator compartment, a freezer compartment evaporator and a refrigerator compartment evaporator in the freezer compartment main duct and the refrigerator compartment main duct, respectively, to generate cooling air, and a freezer compartment fan and a refrigerator compartment fan in the freezer compartment main duct and the refrigerator compartment main duct, respectively, to let out the cooling air generated in the freezer compartment evaporator and the refrigerator compartment evaporator through the exiting hole and to return the cooling air in the freezer compartment and the refrigerator compartment through the returning hole, comprising: 
 providing an auxiliary storage in the main body, having an auxiliary supply duct branched off from one of the freezer compartment main duct and the refrigerator compartment main duct, to supply the cooling air transferred by a corresponding fan to the auxiliary storage, an auxiliary returning duct returning the cooling air in the auxiliary storage to a corresponding main duct, and an auxiliary damper to open and close to respectively supply and block the cooling air to the auxiliary storage in at least one of the auxiliary supply duct and the auxiliary returning duct;    detecting a temperature in the auxiliary storage;    opening the auxiliary damper, if the detected temperature of the auxiliary storage is higher than an auxiliary storage pre-set temperature; and    closing the auxiliary damper, if the temperature of the auxiliary storage is determined to have reached the auxiliary storage pre-set temperature.    
   
   
       12 . The method of controlling the refrigerator according to  claim 11 , further comprising: 
 providing a refrigerator compartment damper to open and close in the refrigerator compartment main duct in advance to respectively supply and block the cooling air to the refrigerator compartment;    detecting a temperature of the refrigerator compartment; and    making the refrigerator compartment temperature reach an refrigerator compartment pre-set temperature by driving the refrigerator compartment fan, opening the refrigerator compartment damper, and closing an auxiliary damper in at least one of an auxiliary supply duct and auxiliary returning duct communicating with the refrigerator compartment main duct, if the refrigerator compartment temperature is higher than the refrigerator compartment pre-set temperature.    
   
   
       13 . The method of controlling the refrigerator according to  claim 12 , further comprising making the temperature of the auxiliary storage reach an auxiliary storage pre-set temperature by closing the refrigerator compartment damper and opening the auxiliary damper, if a temperature of the auxiliary storage is determined to be higher than the auxiliary storage pre-set temperature.  
   
   
       14 . The method of controlling the refrigerator according to  claim 13 , further comprising controlling a cooling cycle in an order of the refrigerator compartment and the auxiliary storage, if the refrigerator compartment temperature and the temperature of the auxiliary storage are determined to be higher than the refrigerator compartment pre-set temperature and the auxiliary storage pre-set temperature.  
   
   
       15 . The method of controlling the refrigerator according to  claim 14 , further comprising driving the refrigerator compartment fan and closing the refrigerator compartment damper and the auxiliary damper, if the refrigerator compartment temperature is determined to have reached the refrigerator compartment pre-set temperature and the detected temperature of the auxiliary storage is determined to have reached the auxiliary storage pre-set temperature.  
   
   
       16 . The method of controlling the refrigerator according to  claim 15 , further comprising driving the refrigerator compartment fan, opening the refrigerator compartment damper, and closing the auxiliary damper, if the cooling cycles of the freezer compartment, the refrigerator compartment, and the auxiliary storage are determined to have been completed and a frost removal cycle should be implemented.  
   
   
       17 . The method of controlling the refrigerator according to  claim 11 , further comprising making the temperature of the auxiliary storage reach the auxiliary storage pre-set temperature by driving the freezer compartment fan and opening the auxiliary damper in at least one of the auxiliary supply duct and the auxiliary returning duct communicating with the freezer compartment main duct, if the detected temperature of the auxiliary storage is higher than the auxiliary storage pre-set temperature.  
   
   
       18 . A refrigerator, including a refrigerator compartment and a freezer compartment, and main ducts in the freezer compartment and the refrigerator compartment each having at least one exiting hole and one returning hole to communicate with the freezer compartment and the refrigerator compartment, an evaporator to generate cooling air which circulates through the exiting and the returning holes, refrigerator comprising: 
 an auxiliary storage;    an auxiliary supply duct branching from one of the main ducts to supply the cooling air to the auxiliary storage;    an auxiliary returning duct to return the cooling air in the auxiliary storage to a main duct; and    an auxiliary damper, in at least one of the auxiliary supply duct and the auxiliary returning duct, to regulate the circulation of the cooling air to the auxiliary storage.    
   
   
       19 . The refrigerator according to  claim 18 , further comprising a refrigerator compartment damper, in the refrigerator compartment main duct, to regulate the circulation of the cooling air to the refrigerator compartment.  
   
   
       20 . The refrigerator according to  claim 19 , further comprising a refrigerator compartment temperature detector to detect a temperature in the refrigerator compartment.  
   
   
       21 . The refrigerator according to  claim 20 , further comprising: 
 a refrigerator compartment fan to circulate cooling air in the refrigerator compartment main duct; and    a refrigerator compartment fan driver to drive the refrigerator compartment fan.    
   
   
       22 . The refrigerator according to  claim 21 , further comprising: 
 an auxiliary damper driver to drive the auxiliary damper; and    a refrigerator compartment damper driver to drive the refrigerator compartment damper.    
   
   
       23 . The refrigerator according to  claim 22 , further comprising a controller to control the refrigerator compartment fan driver, the refrigerator compartment damper driver, and the auxiliary damper driver such that a refrigerator compartment temperature reaches a refrigerator compartment pre-set temperature, if the refrigerator compartment temperature is determined to be higher than a preset temperature.  
   
   
       24 . The refrigerator according to  claim 23 , wherein the controller drives the refrigerator compartment fan, opens the refrigerator compartment damper, and closes the auxiliary damper.  
   
   
       25 . The refrigerator according to  claim 23 , further comprising an auxiliary storage temperature detector to detect a temperature in the auxiliary storage.  
   
   
       26 . The refrigerator according to  claim 25 , wherein the controller controls the refrigerator compartment damper driver and the auxiliary damper driver such that a temperature of the auxiliary storage reaches a pre-set temperature.  
   
   
       27 . The refrigerator according to  claim 26 , wherein the controller closes the refrigerator compartment damper and opens the auxiliary damper, if the detected temperature of the auxiliary storage is higher than the pre-set temperature.  
   
   
       28 . The refrigerator according to  claim 27 , wherein the controller controls a cooling cycle in which the refrigerator compartment is controlled first and the auxiliary storage is controlled second, if the temperatures of the refrigerator compartment and the auxiliary storage are determined to be higher than the pre-set temperatures thereof.  
   
   
       29 . The refrigerator according to  claim 28 , wherein the controller controls the refrigerator compartment fan driver, the refrigerator compartment damper driver, and the auxiliary damper driver to stop the driving of the refrigerator compartment fan and to close the refrigerator compartment damper and the auxiliary damper, if the detected refrigerator compartment temperature and the detected temperature of the auxiliary storage reach the pre-set temperatures thereof.  
   
   
       30 . The refrigerator according to  claim 29 , wherein the controller controls the refrigerator compartment fan driver, the refrigerator compartment damper driver, and the auxiliary damper driver to drive the refrigerator compartment fan, to open the refrigerator compartment damper, and to close the auxiliary damper, if the cooling cycles of the freezer compartment, the refrigerator compartment, and the auxiliary storage are determined to be completed.  
   
   
       31 . A method of controlling a refrigerator, including a refrigerator compartment and a freezer compartment, and main ducts in the freezer compartment and the refrigerator compartment each having at least one exiting hole and one returning hole to communicate with the freezer compartment and the refrigerator compartment, an evaporator to generate cooling air which circulates through the exiting and the returning holes, the method comprising: 
 providing an auxiliary storage having an auxiliary supply duct branching from one of the main ducts to supply the cooling air to the auxiliary storage, an auxiliary returning duct returning the cooling air to one of the main ducts, and an auxiliary damper to supply and block the cooling air to the auxiliary storage in at least one of the auxiliary supply duct and the auxiliary returning duct;    detecting a temperature in the auxiliary storage;    opening the auxiliary damper, if the detected temperature of the auxiliary storage is higher than a pre-set temperature; and    closing the auxiliary damper, if the temperature of the auxiliary storage is determined to have reached the pre-set temperature.    
   
   
       32 . The method of controlling the refrigerator according to  claim 31 , further comprising: 
 providing a refrigerator compartment damper opening/closing in the refrigerator compartment main duct in advance to supply or block the cooling air to the refrigerator compartment;    detecting a temperature of the refrigerator compartment; and    making the refrigerator compartment temperature reach an refrigerator compartment pre-set temperature by driving the refrigerator compartment fan, opening the refrigerator compartment damper, and closing an auxiliary damper provided in at least one of an auxiliary supply duct and auxiliary returning duct communicating with the refrigerator compartment main duct, if the refrigerator compartment temperature is higher than the refrigerator compartment pre-set temperature.    
   
   
       33 . The method of controlling the refrigerator according to  claim 32 , further comprising making the temperature of the auxiliary storage reach an auxiliary storage pre-set temperature by closing the refrigerator compartment damper and opening the auxiliary damper, if a temperature of the auxiliary storage is determined to be higher than the auxiliary storage pre-set temperature.  
   
   
       34 . The method of controlling the refrigerator according to  claim 33 , further comprising controlling a cooling cycle in an order of the refrigerator compartment and the auxiliary storage, if the refrigerator compartment temperature and the temperature of the auxiliary storage are determined to be higher than the refrigerator compartment pre-set temperature and the auxiliary storage pre-set temperature.