Refrigerator and method for controlling same

Abstract

A refrigerator includes an ice maker, which includes an ice making cell, a heater configured to supply heat to the ice making cell during an ice making process, and a controller configured to control the heater. A cooling power of the cooler when a temperature sensed by a temperature sensor is greater than or equal to a limit temperature during an ice making process is greater than a cooling power of the cooler when the temperature is less than the limit temperature. A heating amount of the heater when the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor is greater than or equal to the limit temperature during the ice making process is greater than a heating amount of the heater when the temperature is less than the limit temperature.

1 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a storage chamber;   a cooler supplying cold to the storage chamber; and   an ice maker comprising:   a first tray defining at least a portion of a wall for providing a cell in a liquid is phase-changed into ice;   a heater configured to supply heat to the cell; and   a temperature sensor configured to sense an ambient temperature of a space outside the refrigerator,   wherein a cooling power of the cooler is a first cooling power when a temperature sensed by the temperature sensor is greater than or equal to a limit temperature and the cooling power of the cooler is a second cooling power when the temperature is less than the limit temperature, the first cooling power being greater than the second cooling power, and   wherein a heating amount of the heater is varied such that a heating amount of the heater is a first heating amount when an output of at least one of a fan or a compressor is a first output, the fan configured to blow air to an evaporator, and a heating amount of the heater is a second heating amount when an output of at least one of the fan or the compressor is a second output, the first output being greater than the second output and the first heating amount being greater than the second heating amount.   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein, in a state in which the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor is less than the limit temperature, the heating amount of the heater is varied. 
     
     
         3 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein, in a state in which the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor is higher than or equal to the limit temperature,
 the heater is operated with a predetermined reference heating amount regardless of an increase/decrease in a heat transfer amount between the cold and the liquid of the cell.   
     
     
         4 . The refrigerator of  claim 3 , wherein the heater is operated with the predetermined reference heating amount regardless of an increase/decrease in the output of at least one of the fan or the compressor. 
     
     
         5 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein, the heating amount of the heater is changed from the first heating amount to the second heating amount, when the output of at least one of the fan or the compressor is changed from the first output to the second output. 
     
     
         6 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein, the heating amount of the heater is changed from the second heating amount to the first heating amount, when the output of at least one of the fan or the compressor is changed from the second output to the first output. 
     
     
         7 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a storage chamber;   a cooler supplying cold to the storage chamber; and   an ice maker comprising:   a first tray defining at least a portion of a wall for providing a cell in a liquid is phase-changed into ice;   a heater configured to supply heat to the cell; and   a temperature sensor configured to sense an ambient temperature of a space outside the refrigerator,   wherein a cooling power of the cooler is a first cooling power when a temperature sensed by the temperature sensor is greater than or equal to a limit temperature and the cooling power of the cooler is a second cooling power when the temperature is less than the limit temperature, the first cooling power being greater than the second cooling power, and   wherein a heating amount of the heater is varied such that a heating amount of the heater is a first heating amount when an opening degree of a refrigerant valve is a first opening degree, the refrigerant valve being configured to regulate a refrigerant flow, and a heating amount of the heater is a second heating amount when an opening degree of the refrigerant valve is a second opening degree, the first opening degree being greater than the second opening degree and the first heating amount being greater than the second heating amount.   
     
     
         8 . The refrigerator of  claim 7 , wherein, in a state in which the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor is less than the limit temperature, the heating amount of the heater is varied. 
     
     
         9 . The refrigerator of  claim 7 , wherein, in a state in which the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor is higher than or equal to the limit temperature,
 the heater is operated with a predetermined reference heating amount regardless of an increase/decrease in a heat transfer amount between the cold and the liquid of the cell.   
     
     
         10 . The refrigerator of  claim 9 , wherein the heater is operated with the predetermined reference heating amount regardless of an increase/decrease in the opening degree of the refrigerant valve. 
     
     
         11 . The refrigerator of  claim 7 , wherein, the heating amount of the heater is changed from the first heating amount to the second heating amount, when the opening degree of the refrigerant valve is changed from the first opening degree to the second opening degree. 
     
     
         12 . The refrigerator of  claim 7 , wherein, the heating amount of the heater is changed from the second heating amount to the first heating amount, when the opening degree of the refrigerant valve is changed from the second opening degree to the first opening degree. 
     
     
         13 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a storage chamber;   a cooler supplying cold to the storage chamber; and   an ice maker comprising:   a first tray defining at least a portion of a wall for providing a cell in a liquid is phase-changed into ice;   a heater configured to supply heat to the cell; and   a temperature sensor configured to sense an ambient temperature of a space outside the refrigerator,   wherein a cooling power of the cooler is a first cooling power when a temperature sensed by the temperature sensor is greater than or equal to a limit temperature and the cooling power of the cooler is a second cooling power when the temperature is less than the limit temperature, the first cooling power being greater than the second cooling power, and   wherein a heating amount of the heater is varied such that a heating amount of the heater is a first heating amount when an operating mode is a first cooling mode, and a heating amount of the heater is a second heating amount when an operating mode is a second cooling mode, the cooling power of the cooler in the first cooling mode being greater than the cooling power of the cooler in the second cooling mode and the first heating amount being greater than the second heating amount.   
     
     
         14 . The refrigerator of  claim 13 , wherein, in a state in which the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor is less than the limit temperature, the heating amount of the heater is varied. 
     
     
         15 . The refrigerator of  claim 13 , wherein, in a state in which the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor is higher than or equal to the limit temperature,
 the heater is operated with a predetermined reference heating amount regardless of an increase/decrease in a heat transfer amount between the cold and the liquid of the cell.   
     
     
         16 . The refrigerator of  claim 15 , wherein the heater is operated with the predetermined reference heating amount regardless of a change of the operating mode. 
     
     
         17 . The refrigerator of  claim 13 , wherein, the heating amount of the heater is changed from the first heating amount to the second heating amount, when the operating mode is changed from the first cooling mode to the second cooling mode. 
     
     
         18 . The refrigerator of  claim 13 , wherein, the heating amount of the heater is changed from the second heating amount to the first heating amount, when the operating mode is changed from the second cooling mode to the first cooling mode. 
     
     
         19 . The refrigerator of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a second tray defining at least another portion of the wall for providing the cell;   a first tray case coupled to the first tray; and   a second tray case coupled to the second tray.   
     
     
         20 . The refrigerator of  claim 19 , wherein the heater is installed in the second tray case.