Refrigerating appliance

Abstract

A refrigerating appliance comprising an inner chamber which is surrounded by a heat-insulating housing, and a plurality of electrical or electromechanical components, including a coolant circuit for cooling the inner chamber and at least one temperature sensor, in addition to a control unit for controlling the co-operation of the components. Said control unit has a test operating mode for checking the operativeness of at least some of said components.

1 . A refrigerating appliance, comprising:
 an inner chamber enclosed by a heat-insulating housing;   a plurality of electrical or electromechanical components associated with the inner chamber, the components including a coolant circuit for cooling the inner chamber, and a first temperature sensor; and   a control unit for controlling the operation of the components, the control unit including a test operating mode for checking an operating status of at least some of the components,   wherein in the test operating mode, the control unit checks the operating status of the coolant circuit only if the operating status of the first temperature sensor is checked and the first temperature sensor is functioning properly, and   in the test operating mode, the control unit does not check the operating status of the coolant circuit if the operating status of the first temperature sensor is checked and the first temperature sensor is not functioning properly.   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerating appliance according to  claim 1 , wherein the first temperature sensor senses a temperature of the coolant circuit. 
     
     
         3 . The refrigerating appliance according to  claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to detect a malfunction of the first temperature sensor, the malfunction being one of a short circuit or an electrical line break. 
     
     
         4 . The refrigerating appliance according to  claim 2 , wherein the control unit is configured to check the operating status of the coolant circuit by outputting a command for operating the coolant circuit for a predetermined period of time and comparing a sensed temperature change detected over the predetermined period of time with a predetermined value. 
     
     
         5 . The refrigerating appliance according to  claim 2 , wherein the coolant circuit includes an evaporator and the first temperature sensor is configured to sense a temperature of the evaporator. 
     
     
         6 . The refrigerating appliance according to  claim 5 , further comprising a display unit which is activated by the control unit for displaying results of the operating status checks. 
     
     
         7 . The refrigerating appliance according to  claim 6 , further comprising a plurality of operating keys for setting operating parameters,
 wherein the test operating mode can be adjusted by actuating a combination of the keys.   
     
     
         8 . The solenoid valve according to  claim 7 , wherein the combination of operating keys for setting the test operating mode are located on opposite sides of the display. 
     
     
         9 . The refrigerating appliance according to  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of operating keys for setting operating parameters,
 wherein the test operating mode can be adjusted by actuating a combination of the keys.   
     
     
         10 . The refrigerating appliance according to  claim 2 , further comprising a second temperature sensor, the second temperature sensor being configured to sense a temperature in a first compartment of the inner chamber,
 wherein in the test operating mode, the control unit checks the operating status of the coolant circuit only if the operating status of the second temperature sensor is checked and the second temperature sensor is functioning properly, and   in the test operating mode, the control unit does not check the operating status of the coolant circuit if the operating status of the second temperature sensor is checked and the second temperature sensor is not functioning properly.   
     
     
         11 . The refrigerating appliance according to  claim 10 , further comprising a third temperature sensor, the third temperature sensor being configured to sense a temperature in a second compartment of the inner chamber,
 wherein in the test operating mode, the control unit checks the operating status of the coolant circuit only if the operating status of the third temperature sensor is checked and the third temperature sensor is functioning properly, and
 in the test operating mode, the control unit does not check the operating status of the coolant circuit if the operating status of the third temperature sensor is checked and the third temperature sensor is not functioning properly. 
   
     
     
         12 . The refrigerating appliance according to  claim 1 , further comprising a second temperature sensor, the second temperature sensor being configured to sense a temperature in a first compartment of the inner chamber,
 wherein in the test operating mode, the control unit checks the operating status of the coolant circuit only if the operating status of the second temperature sensor is checked and the second temperature sensor is functioning properly, and
 in the test operating mode, the control unit does not check the operating status of the coolant circuit if the operating status of the second temperature sensor is checked and the second temperature sensor is not functioning properly. 
   
     
     
         13 . The refrigerating appliance according to  claim 12 , further comprising a third temperature sensor, the third temperature sensor being configured to sense a temperature in a second compartment of the inner chamber,
 wherein in the test operating mode, the control unit checks the operating status of the coolant circuit only if the operating status of the third temperature sensor is checked and the third temperature sensor is functioning properly, and
 in the test operating mode, the control unit does not check the operating status of the coolant circuit if the operating status of the third temperature sensor is checked and the third temperature sensor is not functioning properly. 
   
     
     
         14 . A refrigerator, comprising:
 an insulated housing enclosing an inner cooling chamber;   a coolant circuit for cooling the inner cooling chamber;   at least one temperature sensor; and   a control unit that controls the operation of the coolant circuit and controls the operation of the at least one temperature sensor, the control unit having a test operating mode that is configured to test an operational status of the coolant circuit and is configured to test the operating status of the at least one temperature sensor,   wherein the test operating mode tests the operational status of the at least one temperature sensor and, if the operational status of the at least one temperature sensor indicates that the at least one temperature sensor is operating properly, tests the operational status of the coolant circuit, and   if the operational status of the at least one temperature sensor indicates that the at least one temperature sensor is not operating properly, does not test the operational status of the coolant circuit.   
     
     
         15 . The refrigerator according to  claim 14 , wherein the test operating mode tests the operational status of all temperature sensors of the refrigerator, and if the operational status of all temperature sensors indicates that all temperature sensors are operating properly, tests the operational status of the coolant circuit, and
 if the operational status of any of the temperature sensors of the refrigerator indicates that any of the temperature sensors of the refrigerator is not operating properly, does not test the operational status of the coolant circuit.   
     
     
         16 . The refrigerator according to  claim 14 , wherein the at least one temperature sensor includes a first temperature sensor, the first temperature sensor being configured to sense a temperature of the coolant circuit. 
     
     
         17 . The refrigerator according to  claim 16 , wherein the coolant circuit includes an evaporator, and the first temperature sensor is configured to sense a temperature of the evaporator. 
     
     
         18 . The refrigerator according to  claim 16 , wherein the at least one temperature sensor includes a second temperature sensor, the second temperature sensor being configured to sense a temperature in a first compartment of the inner chamber. 
     
     
         19 . The refrigerator according to  claim 18 , further comprising a third temperature sensor, the third temperature sensor being configured to sense a temperature in a second compartment of the inner chamber. 
     
     
         20 . The refrigerator according to  claim 19 , wherein the first compartment of the refrigerator is a cooling compartment with an internal temperature above 0° C. and the second compartment of the refrigerator is a freezing compartment with an internal temperature below 0° C.