Panasonic Corporation

Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.

Hisakazu Sakai

Fuminori Takami

Katsunori Horii

Yoshimasa Horio

Terutsugu Segawa

Tsuyoki Hirai

Toyoshi Kamisako

Naotake Kokubu

Ayuko Miyasaka

Mitsuo Nakamura

Tomoyuki Nishimura

A refrigerator includes: a compressor; an evaporator; a main condenser; a dew-prevention pipe; a bypass provided in parallel with a first channel from the main condenser to the dew-prevention pipe, and connected with the evaporator; a switching section provided on a downstream side of the main condenser, in which the switching section opens and closes the first channel, and a second channel from the main condenser to the bypass; and a control section. When defrosting the evaporator, the control section operates in such a manner that a refrigerant staying in the evaporator, the dew-prevention pipe, and the bypass is collected in the main condenser by closing the first channel and the second channel during an operation of the compressor, and thereafter, a high-pressure refrigerant collected in the main condenser is supplied to the evaporator through the bypass by stopping the compressor and opening the second channel.

Refrigerator and operation method of the same

A refrigerator includes: (i) a compressor; (ii) a condenser; (iii) a decompressor; (iv) an evaporator; (v) a first pipe that connects the compressor, the condenser, the decompressor, and the evaporator, and that circulates a refrigerant therein; (vi) a second pipe that causes the refrigerant to circulate from the condenser to the evaporator; and (vii) a switching valve that switches flow of the refrigerant in the first pipe to the second pipe. A method for controlling the refrigerator includes: conducting a normal cooling operation in which a refrigerant is caused to circulate through a compressor, a condenser, decompressor, and an evaporator; and conducting a defrosting operation in which the refrigerant is caused to circulate through the compressor, the condenser, and the evaporator, excluding the decompressor.

Refrigerator and method for controlling the same

A method for defrosting an evaporator, includes: (i) closing an outlet part that serves as a refrigerant outlet of the evaporator; (ii) closing an inlet part that serves as a refrigerant inlet of the evaporator; (iii) connecting the outlet part and the inlet part to one another; (iv) heating the evaporator. An evaporator, includes: an inlet part that serves as a refrigerant inlet; a first switching valve that is placed in the inlet part; an outlet part that serves as a refrigerant outlet; a second switching valve that is placed in the outlet part; a bypass pathway that connected the inlet part and the outlet part to one another; a horizontal pipe that is communicated with the inlet part; and a vertical pipe that connects the horizontal pipe and the outlet part to one another. A cooling apparatus can include the evaporator.

Evaporators, methods for defrosting an evaporator, and cooling apparatuses using the evaporator

Growing community of inventors

Shiga, Japan

Hisakazu Sakai