Refrigerator

Abstract

A refrigerator, having a load-driving unit to lower or raise an internal temperature of the refrigerator. The refrigerator includes an external temperature sensor to sense an external temperature, an internal temperature sensor to sense the internal temperature of the refrigerator, and a controller to change at least one of upper and lower limits of a preset temperature range by a preset width and to control the load-driving unit based on the internal temperature sensed by the internal temperature sensor when the external temperature sensed by the external temperature sensor exceeds a predetermined level beyond the upper or lower limits of the preset temperature range and is then maintained in excess of the predetermined level beyond a predetermined period of time.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 2003-0086943, filed Dec. 02, 2003, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention relates to a refrigerator, and, more particularly, to a refrigerator in which internal temperature is maintained within a predetermined range even though external temperature fluctuates. [0004] 2. Description of the Related Art [0005] Generally, a refrigerator includes a load-driving unit to lower and raise an internal temperature thereof, an internal temperature sensor to sense the internal temperature, and a controller to store a preset temperature range to set the internal temperature, to compare the preset temperature range with a sensed internal temperature that is sensed by the internal temperature sensor, and to control the load-driving ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0016] According to another aspect of the invention, the load-driving unit comprises a cold generator to lower the internal temperature, and a heat generator to raise the internal temperature.

Problems solved by technology

In other words, when the external temperature of the refrigerator is low, the internal temperature is lowered, and when the external temperature of the refrigerator is high, the internal temperature is increased, and as a result, the thermostatic performance of the refrigerator is deteriorated.

However, the internal thermostatic performance of this conventional refrigerator deteriorates when the sensed external temperature fluctuates at a boundary between the steps.

This phenomenon causes the internal thermostatic performance of the refrigerator to deteriorate.

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