Refrigerator and method for controlling the same

Abstract

A refrigerator is provided that includes a cabinet having a refrigerating compartment cooled by a refrigerating compartment evaporator and a refrigerating compartment fan, and a freezing compartment cooled by a freezing compartment evaporator and a freezing compartment fan. A filler is provided on one of pair of doors to shield a gap between the pair of doors when the pair of doors are closed, a filler heater is provided inside the filler, and a controller is configured to control operations of the refrigerating compartment fan, the freezing compartment fan, the filler heater, and a compressor. When the refrigerating compartment evaporator performs a defrosting operation, the controller turns on the refrigerating compartment fan and the filler heater in state in that the compressor turns off so that heated air inside the refrigerating compartment is circulated to pass through the refrigerating compartment evaporator.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a cabinet that supports a refrigerating compartment to be cooled by air from a refrigerating compartment evaporator and a refrigerating compartment fan, and a freezing compartment to be cooled by air from a freezing compartment evaporator and a freezing compartment fan;   a pair of refrigerating compartment doors configured to open and close the refrigerating compartment;   a filler provided on one of the doors to shield a gap between the pair of refrigerating compartment doors when the doors are closed relative to the refrigerating compartment;   a filler heater provided in the filler; and   a controller configured to control operation of the refrigerating compartment fan, the freezing compartment fan, the filler heater, and a compressor,   wherein, when a defrosting operation is to be performed, the controller is to turn on the refrigerating compartment fan and the filler heater while the compressor is turned off such that air inside the refrigerating compartment is to pass the refrigerating compartment evaporator.   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , comprising a temperature sensor to detect temperature of external air outside of the refrigerator, and
 wherein the controller is configured to control the filler heater to be turned on or off based on the detected temperature of the external air, and   the controller is configured to control the filler heater to maintain being turned on during the defrosting operation.   
     
     
         3 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to control the filler heater to be turned on during the defrosting operation and to be turned off when the defrosting operation is to end. 
     
     
         4 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , comprising a defrosting temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of the refrigerating compartment evaporator, and
 the controller is configured to control the filler heater to maintain to be turned on until the detected temperature reaches a set temperature.   
     
     
         5 . The refrigerator according to  claim 4 , wherein, when the defrosting operation is to be performed, the controller is configured to:
 control a quick cool operation of the refrigerating compartment by turning the filter heater off when the detected temperature reaches a first set temperature;   control the filler heater to turn the filler heater on again after completing the quick cooling operation, and   control the filler heater to turn the filler heater off when the detected temperature reaches a second set temperature.   
     
     
         6 . The refrigerator according to  claim 5 , wherein the second set temperature is higher than the first set temperature. 
     
     
         7 . The refrigerator according to  claim 6 , wherein the first set temperature is set to approximately 3° C., and the second set temperature is set to approximately 5° C. 
     
     
         8 . The refrigerator according to  claim 5 , wherein, when the quick cooling operation is to be performed, the controller is configured to control the compressor and the refrigerating compartment fan to be turned on. 
     
     
         9 . The refrigerator according to  claim 8 , wherein, when the quick cooling operation is to be performed, the controller is configured to control the compressor to operate for a set time at a maximum output. 
     
     
         10 . The refrigerator according to  claim 9 , wherein, when the quick cooling operation is to be performed, the controller is configured to control the compressor to operate until the detected temperature is less than a target temperature. 
     
     
         11 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein one of the refrigerating compartment doors comprises:
 an ice making chamber to accommodate an ice maker configured to make ice; and   a dispenser configured to communicate with the ice making chamber and dispense the ice,   wherein an ice making passage is provided between the freezing compartment and the ice making chamber to supply the air for making the ice.   
     
     
         12 . The refrigerator according to  claim 11 , wherein at least a portion of the ice making passage passes through the refrigerating compartment. 
     
     
         13 . The refrigerator according to  claim 11 , wherein the ice making passage comprises:
 a supply duct configured to supply the air from the freezing compartment evaporator to the ice making chamber; and   a return duct configured to provide air from inside the ice making chamber to the freezing compartment,   wherein openings of the supply duct and the return duct are exposed at a wall surface of the refrigerating compartment and communicate with the ice making chamber when the one of the refrigerating compartment doors is closed.   
     
     
         14 . The refrigerator according to  claim 13 , wherein, when the defrosting operation is to be performed, a refrigerant discharged from the compressor is supplied to the freezing compartment evaporator, and
 the air from the freezing compartment evaporator is supplied by the supply duct to the ice making chamber.   
     
     
         15 . The refrigerator according to  claim 11 , wherein the filler heater is configured to supply heat into the refrigerating compartment. 
     
     
         16 . The refrigerator according to  claim 15 , wherein the heat of the filler heater is greater than air transferred into the refrigerating compartment through the ice making passage. 
     
     
         17 . The refrigerator according to  claim 15 , wherein the filler comprises a filler cover made of a steel material, and
 the filler heater is in contact with the filler cover to heat the filler cover.   
     
     
         18 . A method for controlling a refrigerator having a refrigerating compartment to be opened and closed by a pair of refrigerating compartment doors, and having a filler configured to shield a gap between the pair of refrigerating compartment doors when the pair of refrigerating compartment doors are closed, the method comprising:
 providing a defrosting signal to start a defrosting operation;   controlling a compressor to be off based on the defrosting signal and controlling a refrigerating compartment fan to circulate air in the refrigerating compartment so as to pass an evaporator;   controlling the filler heater to supply heat to the refrigerating compartment;   maintaining the filler heater to be on until a temperature detected by a defrosting temperature sensor of the evaporator reaches a set temperature; and   controlling the filler heater to be off to end the defrosting operation when the detected temperature reaches the set temperature.   
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the defrosting operation comprises:
 performing a first defrosting operation to apply heat until the detected temperature reaches a first set temperature while the filler heater is turned on;   performing a quick cooling operation to turn the filler heater off when the first defrosting operation is completed and to cool the refrigerator for a set time when the compressor is turned on; and   perform a second defrosting operation to turn off the compressor when the quick cooling operation is completed and apply heat until the detected temperature reaches a second set temperature higher than the first set temperature while the filler heater is turned on.   
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein the performing of the second defrosting operation is a longer time than the performing of the first defrosting operation.