US 11,892,220 B2
Refrigerator and method for controlling same
Donghoon Lee, Seoul (KR); Wookyong Lee, Seoul (KR); Seungseob Yeom, Seoul (KR); Donghoon Lee, Seoul (KR); Yongjun Bae, Seoul (KR); Sunggyun Son, Seoul (KR); and Chongyoung Park, Seoul (KR)
Assigned to LG ELECTRONICS INC., Seoul (KR)
Appl. No. 17/281,701
Filed by LG ELECTRONICS INC., Seoul (KR)
PCT Filed Oct. 1, 2019, PCT No. PCT/KR2019/012853
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Mar. 31, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/071743, PCT Pub. Date Apr. 9, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 10-2018-0117785 (KR), filed on Oct. 2, 2018; application No. 10-2018-0117819 (KR), filed on Oct. 2, 2018; application No. 10-2018-0117821 (KR), filed on Oct. 2, 2018; application No. 10-2018-0117822 (KR), filed on Oct. 2, 2018; application No. 10-2018-0142117 (KR), filed on Nov. 16, 2018; and application No. 10-2019-0081705 (KR), filed on Jul. 6, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2021/0372681 A1, Dec. 2, 2021
Int. Cl. F25C 1/18 (2006.01); F25C 1/24 (2018.01); F25C 5/08 (2006.01); F25D 29/00 (2006.01)
CPC F25C 1/18 (2013.01) [F25C 1/24 (2013.01); F25C 5/08 (2013.01); F25D 29/00 (2013.01); F25C 2400/06 (2013.01); F25C 2400/10 (2013.01); F25C 2600/04 (2013.01); F25C 2700/12 (2013.01)] 24 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A refrigerator, comprising:
a storage chamber;
a cooler configured to supply cold air;
a tray configured to form a cell, which is configured to form a space in which liquid is phase-changed into ice;
a heater configured to supply heat to the cell; and
a controller configured to control the heater to operate during an ice making process according to a first heating process and a second heating process performed after the first heating process, such that:
in the first heating process, the controller is configured to control the heater so that a heating amount of the heater varies, and
in at least a partial section of the second heating process, the controller is configured to control the heater so that a heating amount is equal to or less than the heating amount in the first heating process,
wherein the first heating process comprises a plurality of processes of operating the heater, and the second heating process comprises a first additional process of operating the heater,
the controller is configured to:
control the heater such that a heating amount of the heater in one process of the plurality of processes is less than a heating amount of the heater in a next process performed after the one process,
control the heater such that in the first additional process the heater is operated to have a predetermined heating amount for a second predetermined time,
control the heater such that the predetermined heating amount of the heater in the first additional process is less than the heating amount of the heater in the next process of the first heating process, and
control the heater such that the one process is performed for a first predetermined time, and the first predetermined time is less than the second predetermined time.
 
18. A refrigerator comprising:
a storage chamber;
a cooler configured to supply cold air;
a tray configured to form a cell, which is configured to form a space in which liquid is phase-changed into ice;
a temperature sensor provided in the tray;
a heater configured to supply heat to the cell; and
a controller configured to control the heater to operate during an ice making process according to a first heating process and a second heating process after the first heating process, wherein the first heating process comprises a plurality of processes,
the controller is configured to control the heater such that a heating amount of at least one process of the plurality of processes increases or decreases in response to a change in a heat transfer amount of the cold air and liquid in the tray;
wherein, in at least a partial section of the second heating process, the controller is configured to control the heater such that a heating amount of the heater is equal to or less than a heating amount of the heater in the first heating process.