Method for controlling refrigerator

Abstract

A method for controlling an operation of a refrigerator includes circulating and/or supplying a refrigerant to a refrigeration chamber evaporator and a freezer chamber evaporator, determining whether to stop an operation of the compressor a predetermined time from or after an initial driving point in circulating and/or supplying the refrigerant; opening a refrigeration chamber switching valve, a freezer chamber switching valve and/or a refrigerant flow path valve, and subsequently closing the valve(s) when it is determined that the compressor should be stopped; and stopping the compressor after opening the refrigeration chamber switching valve, the freezer chamber switching valve and/or the refrigerant flow path valve.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for controlling an operation of a refrigerator comprising a compressor, a condenser, and a refrigerant flow path valve that supplies refrigerant from the condenser to a refrigeration chamber evaporator and a freezer chamber evaporator, the method comprising:
 circulating and/or supplying the refrigerant to the refrigeration chamber evaporator and the freezer chamber evaporator;   determining whether to stop an operation of the compressor a predetermined time from or after an initial driving point in circulating and/or supplying the refrigerant;   opening the refrigerant flow path valve and subsequently closing the refrigerant flow path valve when it is determined that the compressor should be stopped; and   stopping the compressor after opening the refrigerant flow path valve.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the refrigerant flow path valve comprises a refrigeration chamber switching valve and a freezer chamber switching valve, opening the refrigerant flow path valve comprises opening the refrigeration chamber switching valve and the freezer chamber switching valve, and closing the refrigerant flow path valve comprises closing the refrigeration chamber switching valve and the freezer chamber switching valve. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising operating a fan between the refrigeration chamber evaporator and the freezer chamber evaporator, or adjacent to one of the refrigeration chamber evaporator and the freezer chamber evaporator, after stopping the compressor. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the fan is adjacent to one of the refrigeration chamber evaporator and the freezer chamber evaporator, and the method further comprises operating a second fan adjacent to the other of the refrigeration chamber evaporator and the freezer chamber evaporator after stopping the compressor. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the fan is operated for 1-10 minutes after stopping the compressor. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising drawing or removing refrigerant remaining in the refrigeration chamber evaporator and the freezer chamber evaporator into the compressor when the refrigerant flow path valve is open. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising drawing or removing refrigerant remaining in the refrigeration chamber evaporator and the freezer chamber evaporator when the refrigeration chamber switching valve and the freezer chamber switching valve are open. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising operating or actuating the compressor for 70 to 120 seconds from a point of time at which the refrigerant flow path valve is opened. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising operating or actuating the compressor for 70 to 120 seconds from a point of time at which the refrigeration chamber switching valve and the freezer chamber switching valve are opened. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising filtering impurities in the refrigerant using a dryer between the condenser and the refrigerant flow path valve. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising filtering impurities in the refrigerant using a dryer between the condenser and the refrigerant flow path valve. 
     
     
         12 . A method for controlling an operation of a refrigerator comprising a compressor, a condenser, and a refrigerant flow path valve that supplies refrigerant from the condenser to a refrigeration chamber evaporator and a freezer chamber evaporator, the method comprising:
 circulating and/or supplying the refrigerant to the refrigeration chamber evaporator and the freezer chamber evaporator;   reaching one or more predetermined conditions for stopping operation of the compressor;   opening the refrigerant flow path valve and subsequently closing the refrigerant flow path valve after the one or more predetermined conditions for stopping the compressor are reached;   stopping the compressor a predetermined time after the one or more predetermined conditions for stopping the compressor are reached and after the refrigerant flow path valve is opened and closed; and   re-actuating or restarting the compressor a predetermined period of time after stopping the compressor.   
     
     
         13 . A tangible computer-readable medium containing a set of instructions embodied therein for controlling a refrigerator, the set of instructions being configured or adapted to perform the method of  claim 12 . 
     
     
         14 . A refrigerator, comprising:
 a compressor that compresses a refrigerant;   a condenser receiving compressed refrigerant from the compressor;   a refrigeration chamber evaporator and a freezer chamber evaporator, each in fluid communication with the condenser,   a refrigerant flow path valve that supplies refrigerant from the condenser to the refrigeration chamber evaporator and the freezer chamber evaporator; and   a controller configured to control a flow or circulation of the refrigerant through the compressor and the refrigerant flow path valve, the controller including the computer-readable medium of  claim 13 .   
     
     
         15 . The refrigerator of  claim 14 , further comprising a dryer between the condenser and the refrigerant flow path valve that filters impurities in the refrigerant. 
     
     
         16 . The refrigerator of  claim 14 , wherein the refrigerant flow path valve comprises a refrigeration chamber switching valve and a freezer chamber switching valve, and the computer-readable medium causes the refrigeration chamber switching valve and the freezer chamber switching valve to open, then close.