Refrigerator and operating method thereof

Abstract

A refrigerator, where warm air is prevented from flowing into a storage chamber during defrosting or when cooling starts, heat transfer from a cooling chamber to the storage chamber is prevented, and the temperature rise in the storage chamber is constrained to a low level. A separator is used to divide a part of an air supply passage, to form a space portion in communication with a cooling chamber through an air supply opening portion. A first freely controllable opening portion is disposed in a separating area between the space portion and the divided air supply passage, and a second freely controllable opening portion is disposed in a separating area between the space portion and an air return passage or the cooling chamber. By setting the first and second opening portions in closed and open states, respectively, a condenser performs cooling and an air blower supplies air.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A refrigerator, comprising:
 a storage compartment;   a supply air passage, adapted for enabling air to flow into the storage compartment;   a return air passage, adapted for enabling the air from the storage compartment to flow through;   a cooling compartment, having an air supply opening portion adapted for enabling the air to flow out from the supply air passage and a return air opening portion for enabling the air from the return air passage to flow in;   a condenser, disposed inside the cooling compartment adapted for cooling the air that flows in from the return air opening portion; and   an air supply device, disposed on the air supply opening portion,   wherein, in the refrigerator, the exterior of the cooling compartment comprises:   a separator, at least dividing a part of the supply air passage to form a space portion, the space portion being connected to the cooling compartment through the air supply opening portion;   a freely controllable first opening portion, disposed in a separating region between the space portion and the divided supply air passage; and   a freely controllable second opening portion, disposed in a separating region between the space portion and the return air passage or between the space portion and the cooling compartment.   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the storage compartment is at least divided into a refrigerator compartment and a freezer compartment, and the supply air passage is at least provided with a freezer supply air passage used for enabling the air to flow to the freezer compartment;   the separator is configured to divide the freezer supply air passage and the idle portion; and   the first opening portion is through enabled to be in a closed state, and the second opening portion is enabled to be in an open state, so that the space portion becomes an air path used for the air that flows out from the air supply opening portion of the cooling compartment to flow from the return air opening portion to the cooling compartment.   
     
     
         3 . The refrigerator according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the supply air passage is provided with a refrigerator supply air passage for enabling the air to flow to the refrigerator compartment; and   the refrigerator supply air passage is connected to the space portion, and an air passage control device is provided in the refrigerator supply air passage.   
     
     
         4 . A operating method of a refrigerator, wherein the refrigerator comprises:
 a storage compartment;   a supply air passage, adapted for enabling air to flow into the storage compartment;   a return air passage, adapted for enabling the air from the storage compartment to flow through;   a cooling compartment, having an air supply opening portion adapted for enabling the air to flow out from the supply air passage and a return air opening portion used for enabling the air from the return air passage to flow in;   a condenser, disposed inside the cooling compartment, and used for cooling the air that flows in from the return air opening portion; and   an air supply device, disposed on the air supply opening portion,   wherein, in the refrigerator, the exterior of the cooling compartment comprises:
 a separator, at least dividing a part of the supply air passage to form a space portion, the space portion being connected to the cooling compartment through the air supply opening portion; 
 a freely controllable first opening portion, disposed in a separating region between the space portion and the divided supply air passage; and 
 a freely controllable second opening portion, disposed in a separating region between the space portion and the return air passage or between the space portion and the cooling compartment; and 
   wherein, in operation, the first opening portion is set to a closed state, the second opening portion is set to an open state, the space portion is used as an air path for circulation of the air to the cooling compartment, the condenser performs cooling, and the air supply device supplies air, so as to adjust the temperature of the air inside the space portion and the cooling compartment.   
     
     
         5 . The operating method of the refrigerator according to  claim 4 , wherein after the temperature of the air inside the space portion and the cooling compartment are adjusted, the first opening portion is set to an open state, the second opening portion is set to a closed state, and the supply air passage provides the air that undergoes the adjustment of temperature to the storage compartment. 
     
     
         6 . The operating method of the refrigerator according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the refrigerator is provided with a defrosting unit for defrosting the cooling compartment; and   the first opening portion and the second opening portion are both set to a closed state, the defrosting unit performs defrosting, and after the defrosting stops, the second opening portion is set to an open state, so as to adjust the temperature of the air inside the space portion and the cooling compartment.   
     
     
         7 . The operating method of the refrigerator according to  claim 4 , wherein, in the refrigerator, the storage compartment is at least divided into a refrigerator compartment and a freezer compartment, the supply air passage is at least provided with:
 a freezer supply air passage, adapted for enabling the air to flow into the freezer compartment, and being separated by the separator and the space portion; and   a refrigerator supply air passage, adapted for enabling the air to flow into the refrigerator compartment, connected to the space portion, and an air passage control device being provided inside the refrigerator supply air passage,   wherein the first opening portion is set to a closed state, the second opening portion is set to an open state, and the refrigerator supply air passage is set to a closed state by using the air passage control device, so as to adjust the temperature of the air inside the space portion and the cooling compartment.   
     
     
         8 . The operating method of the refrigerator according to  claim 7 , wherein after the temperature of the air inside the space portion and the cooling compartment is adjusted, the first opening portion is set to an open state, the second opening portion is set to a closed state, the refrigerator supply air passage is set to an open state by using the air passage control device, and the freezer supply air passage or the refrigerator supply air passage provides the air that undergoes the adjustment of temperature to the freezer compartment or the refrigerator compartment, respectively. 
     
     
         9 . The operating method of the refrigerator according to  claim 8 , wherein
 the refrigerator is provided with a defrosting unit for defrosting the cooling compartment; and   the first opening portion and the second opening portion are both set to a closed state, the refrigerator supply air passage is set to a closed state by using the air passage control device, the defrosting unit performs defrosting, and after the defrosting stops, the second opening portion is set to an open state, so as to adjust the temperature of the air inside the space portion and the cooling compartment.