US 11,913,705 B2
Refrigerator and control method and control device thereof
Ruiming Fang, Anhui (CN); and Yu Li, Anhui (CN)
Assigned to HEFEI MIDEA REFRIGERATOR CO., LTD., Anhui (CN); HEFEI HUALING CO., LTD., Anhui (CN); and MIDEA GROUP CO., LTD., Guangdong (CN)
Appl. No. 17/420,663
Filed by HEFEI MIDEA REFRIGERATOR CO., LTD., Anhui (CN); HEFEI HUALING CO., LTD., Anhui (CN); and MIDEA GROUP CO., LTD., Guangdong (CN)
PCT Filed Jan. 3, 2019, PCT No. PCT/CN2019/070281
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jul. 2, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/140238, PCT Pub. Date Jul. 9, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0099354 A1, Mar. 31, 2022
Int. Cl. F25D 21/06 (2006.01); F25D 11/02 (2006.01)
CPC F25D 21/06 (2013.01) [F25D 11/022 (2013.01); F25C 2400/10 (2013.01); F25C 2600/04 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for controlling a refrigerator, comprising:
determining whether the refrigerator is in a target control period after defrosting;
determining whether an ice making evaporator requests refrigerant;
determining whether a system evaporator requests refrigerant; and
in response to determining that the refrigerator is in the target control period after defrosting:
controlling a control valve to flow refrigerant to an ice making circuit coupled to the ice making evaporator no matter whether the system evaporator requests refrigerant or not;
in response to determining that the refrigerator is not in the target control period after defrosting, and:
(a) in response to determining that the ice making evaporator requests refrigerant and the system evaporator requests refrigerant, controlling the control valve to flow refrigerant to a refrigerating circuit coupled to the system evaporator and to the ice making circuit coupled to the ice making evaporator;
(b) in response to determining that the ice making evaporator requests refrigerant and the system evaporator does not request refrigerant, controlling the control valve to connect to the ice making circuit;
(c) in response to determining that the ice making evaporator does not request refrigerant and the system evaporator requests refrigerant, controlling the control valve to connect to the refrigerating circuit; and
(d) in response to determining that the ice making evaporator does not request refrigerant and the system evaporator does not request refrigerant, controlling the control valve to keep a current direction unchanged.