Method and device for controlling a freezing phase in a single-control combined refrigeration appliance, and related refrigeration appliance

Abstract

A method for controlling a freezing phase in a single-control combined type refrigeration appliance, includes turning on a compressor and monitoring a refrigerator temperature of a refrigerator compartment and an evaporator temperature of an evaporator associated with the refrigerator compartment and an adjacent freezer compartment. If the refrigerator temperature is greater than an upper refrigerator threshold, a fan in fluidic communication between the freezer compartment and the refrigerator compartment is turned on until said refrigerator temperature is less than a lower refrigerator threshold, whereupon said fan is turned off. If the evaporator temperature is less than a lower evaporator threshold, said fan is turned on. If the evaporator temperature is greater than an upper evaporator threshold and the refrigerator temperature is less than the lower refrigerator threshold, said fan is turned off. The method further includes deactivating said freezing phase after a given time has elapsed following said activation.

1 . A method for controlling a freezing phase in a single-control combined type refrigeration appliance, comprising:
 activating said freezing phase, including:
 turning on a compressor; 
 monitoring a refrigerator temperature of a refrigerator compartment and an evaporator temperature of an evaporator associated with the refrigerator compartment and an adjacent freezer compartment; 
 if the refrigerator temperature is greater than an upper refrigerator threshold, turning on a fan in fluidic communication between the freezer compartment and the refrigerator compartment until said refrigerator temperature is less than a lower refrigerator threshold, whereupon said fan is turned off; 
 if the evaporator temperature is less than a lower evaporator threshold, turning on said fan; 
 if the evaporator temperature is greater than an upper evaporator threshold and the refrigerator temperature is less than the lower refrigerator threshold, turning off said fan; 
   deactivating said freezing phase after a given time has elapsed following said activation.   
     
     
         2 . The control method of  claim 1 , wherein, after said step of turning on the compressor, turning off the fan if the temperature in the refrigerator compartment is less than a predetermined minimum refrigerator temperature. 
     
     
         3 . A device for controlling a freezing phase in a single-control combined type refrigeration appliance, comprising:
 a controller implementing a freezing phase in the refrigeration appliance, including:
 turning on a compressor; 
 monitoring a refrigerator temperature of a refrigerator compartment and an evaporator temperature of an evaporator associated with the refrigerator compartment and an adjacent freezer compartment; 
 if the refrigerator temperature is greater than an upper refrigerator threshold, turning on a fan in fluidic communication between the freezer compartment and the refrigerator compartment; until said refrigerator temperature is less than a lower refrigerator threshold, whereupon said fan is turned off; 
 if the evaporator temperature is less than a lower evaporator threshold, turning on said fan; 
 if the evaporator temperature is greater than an upper evaporator threshold and the refrigerator temperature is less than the lower refrigerator threshold, turning off said fan; 
 deactivating said freezing phase after a given time has elapsed following said activation. 
   
     
     
         4 . A single-control combined type refrigeration appliance, comprising:
 a device as claimed in  claim 3 , executing the freezing phase therein;   the refrigerator compartment;   the freezer compartment;   the evaporator;   the compressor associated with the evaporator;   an evaporator temperature sensor, detecting the evaporator temperature of the evaporator; and   a refrigerator temperature sensor, detecting the refrigerator temperature within the refrigerator.   
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . A computer-readable medium, comprising:
 a recorded program and program coding means implementing a freezing phase in a refrigeration appliance when said program is executed on a computer, the freezing phase including:   turning on a compressor;   monitoring a refrigerator temperature of a refrigerator compartment and an evaporator temperature of an evaporator associated with the refrigerator compartment and an adjacent freezer compartment;   if the refrigerator temperature is greater than an upper refrigerator threshold, turning on a fan in fluidic communication between the freezer compartment and the refrigerator compartment; until said refrigerator temperature is less than a lower refrigerator threshold, whereupon said fan is turned off;   if the evaporator temperature is less than a lower evaporator threshold, turning on said fan;   if the evaporator temperature is greater than an upper evaporator threshold and the refrigerator temperature is less than the lower refrigerator threshold turning said fan;   deactivating said freezing phase after a given time has elapsed following said activation.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the upper refrigerator threshold is greater than the lower refrigerator threshold, which is greater than the upper evaporator threshold, which is greater than the lower evaporator threshold. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the freezing phase is carried out without monitoring a temperature within a freezer associated with the compressor. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the compressor operates in conjunction with the evaporator to cool an air mass present within the freezer compartment. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the upper evaporation threshold is about −34 degrees, Celsius, and the lower evaporation threshold is about −38 degrees, Celsius. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the upper refrigerator threshold is about 6 degrees, Celsius, and the lower refrigeration threshold is about 3 degrees, Celsius. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein the freezing phase is carried out without monitoring a temperature within a freezer associated with the compressor. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein the compressor is associated with the evaporator so as to operate in conjunction therewith to cool an air mass present within the freezer compartment. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein the freezing phase further includes, after turning on the compressor, turning off the fan if the temperature in the refrigerator compartment is less than a predetermined minimum refrigerator temperature. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein the upper refrigerator threshold is greater than the lower refrigerator threshold, which is greater than the upper evaporator threshold, which is greater than the lower evaporator threshold. 
     
     
         16 . The computer readable medium of  claim 6 , wherein the freezing phase is carried out without monitoring a temperature within a freezer associated with the compressor. 
     
     
         17 . The computer readable medium of  claim 6 , wherein when in the freezing phase, the compressor is operated in conjunction with the evaporator to cool an air mass present within the freezer compartment. 
     
     
         18 . The computer readable medium of  claim 6 , wherein the freezing phase further includes, after turning on the compressor, turning off the fan if the temperature in the refrigerator compartment is less than a predetermined minimum refrigerator temperature. 
     
     
         19 . The computer readable medium of  claim 18 , wherein the upper refrigerator threshold is greater than the lower refrigerator threshold, which is greater than the upper evaporator threshold, which is greater than the lower evaporator threshold.