Abstract: A refrigerator includes a control apparatus and a storing space composed of an upper space and a lower space between which the air or heat exchange is limited. The storing space has a liquid in a supercooled state. A determination unit calculates an accumulated time during which the temperature of the storing space is maintained in a supercooling temperature range below the maximum ice crystal formation zone of the stored liquid after the sensed temperature enters the supercooling temperature range, compares the accumulated time with a supercooled-state determination time and determines that the stored liquid is in the supercooled state if the accumulated time is equal to or greater than the supercooled-state determination time.

Abstract: A refrigerator controls the temperature of an upper space and a lower space. A heat source supplier provides heat in the upper space. A control unit controls the heat source supplier based on the sensed temperature from a temperature sensor to maintain the temperature of the upper space to be higher than the temperature of the lower space, and control a cooling circuit to maintain the temperature of the lower space to be below the temperature of a maximum ice crystal formation zone of water and the temperature of the upper space to be over the temperature of the maximum ice crystal formation zone of water, thus maintaining a supercooled state of a stored liquid in the container as a preset state during a first time period.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a supercooling method and a supercooling apparatus which can maintain an object in a supercooled state. According to the present invention, a supercooling method includes a first cooling step of cooling a stored object toward a cooling temperature below a phase transition temperature thereof, a step of judging whether the stored object is released from a supercooled state in the first cooling step, a step of thawing the stored object when the stored object is released from the supercooled state, and a second cooling step of cooling the stored object toward a cooling temperature below zero that is higher than the lowest temperature of the stored object before the release of the supercooled state, wherein the first cooling step is continuously performed when the object is maintained in the supercooled state.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a control method of a refrigerator which operates a cooling cycle including two storage compartments, a compressor, a condenser, a valve, fans, and evaporators for cooling the respective storage compartments, with one of the fans (5) corresponding to the storage compartment for storing items at relatively low temperatures being activated for a set amount of time even after the compressor is deactivated at the completion of cooling of the storage compartment for storing items at relatively low temperatures.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an apparatus for supercooling which can stably maintain a liquid in a supercooled state at below a phase transition temperature. The apparatus for supercooling, which can maintain a supercooled state of a liquid or contents even below a phase transition temperature, comprises: a storage space for storing a container accommodating a liquid or contents containing the liquid; a cooling means for cooling the liquid or contents or the storage space below the phase transition temperature of the liquid or the contents; and a temperature maintaining unit for applying energy to the surface of the liquid or contents or to a gas near the surface, wherein the liquid or the contents are maintained in a supercooled state by preventing freezing nuclei from being formed on the surface of the liquid or contents or in the gas near the surface by application of energy.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a supercooling recognition method and a supercooling apparatus which can rapidly and precisely judge whether a stored object is maintained in a supercooled state on the basis of a temperature thereof. A supercooling recognition method according to the present invention includes the steps of: cooling a stored object to below a temperature of a maximum ice crystal formation zone thereof; and judging whether the stored object is maintained in a supercooled state on the basis of a temperature thereof during the cooling step.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a cooling apparatus including a non-freezing apparatus which can be installed in a refrigerating chamber or a refrigerating chamber door and stably store food in a non-frozen state. A cooling apparatus includes a freezing chamber, a refrigerating chamber, a freezing chamber door, a refrigerating chamber door, and a non-freezing apparatus installed in the refrigerating chamber or the refrigerating chamber door and storing food in a non-frozen state. In the non-freezing apparatus, since a lower space is cooled by the cool air introduced from the freezing chamber and an upper space is cooled by the atmosphere of the refrigerating chamber, it is possible to reduce a heating value of a heater which is operated to maintain the temperature of the upper space to be higher than that of the lower space.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a refrigerator which can maintain a stored object in a desired state by controlling the temperature of an upper region and a lower region in the same storing space. The refrigerator includes a non-freezing apparatus having a storage room with a storing space composed of an upper space and a lower space, the air or heat exchange being limited between the upper space and the lower space, and a temperature control unit controlling the temperature of the upper space and the lower space. The non-freezing apparatus is installed in a storing space in which the cooling is performed and controls the temperature control unit to perform at least one of a process of rapid cooling at a temperature over the phase transition temperature, a process of entering a supercooling temperature region, and a process of maintaining the supercooling temperature region.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a refrigerator which can display a supercooled state or the proceeding degree of the supercooled state. The refrigerator includes a control apparatus which is formed in a storing space in which the cooling is performed, has a storing space composed of an upper space and a lower space between which the air or heat exchange is limited, stores a stored object in the storing space in a supercooled state, and controls the temperature of the upper space and the lower space, respectively. The refrigerator includes: a determination means determining the supercooled state of the stored object or the proceeding degree of the supercooled state; and a display means visually or aurally displaying the supercooled state or the proceeding degree of the supercooled state determined by the determination means.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a ultra-hydrophilic and antibacterial thin film coated metal product, and its manufacturing method. In order to easily produce an air conditioning metal material having excellent hydrophilic performance, aging property, corrosion resistance and antibacterial property on an industrial production scale without a special preprocess or postprocess, an anticorrosive thin film is selectively formed on both surfaces of a metal substrate sheet, and an ultra-hydrophilic and antibacterial Ti—(Ag, Cu and/or Co)—O—C group compound thin film is coated on both surfaces of the metal substrate sheet on which the anticorrosive thin film has been or not been formed. The metal substrate sheet is mechanically processed into a target shape.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a non-freezing storage unit which can store food at a temperature below 0° C. without freezing the food, and a refrigerator including the same. The non-freezing storage unit includes an outer casing with one open surface, a drawer which can be pulled out and detached through the open surface of the outer casing, a sensor located on one surface of the outer casing and sensing a temperature of food located in the drawer, a thermal conductive member installed on one surface of the drawer facing the sensor and transferring the temperature of the food in the drawer to the sensor, and a heater installed in the outer casing. The non-freezing storage unit is located in a cooling space to store food in a non-frozen state at a temperature below 0° C.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a non-freezing storage unit including an outer casing with an open front surface, a drawer which can be pulled out through the open front surface of the outer casing, a sensor installed on the outer casing and/or the drawer, a heater installed in the outer casing, and an air layer formed at the front of the drawer to intercept the cool air. The non-freezing storage unit is located in a cooling space to store food in a non-frozen state at a temperature below 0° C.

Abstract: A refrigerator includes a valve assembly located at a refrigerant path from a condenser to at least one expansion valve for controlling flow of a refrigerant from the condenser to the at least one expansion valve. The valve assembly includes a valve chamber, wherein the refrigerant drawn from the condenser is held in the valve chamber; at least one outlet hole through which the refrigerant held in the valve chamber is discharged to a corresponding outlet path connected to the at least one expansion valve; and a valve body for selectively opening and closing the at least one outlet hole as the valve body rotates, such that the refrigerant held in the valve chamber is selectively discharged to the corresponding outlet path.

Abstract: A refrigerator is provided having a user avatar display function which can store avatars of each user, identify users, and display the avatars corresponding to the identified users. The refrigerator includes a photographing device that photographs images of users, a storing device that stores user information for identifying the users and avatar information having avatars corresponding to the users and/or user information, a display that displays the avatars, and a controller that reads the user information, compares the user information with the images of the users photographed by the photographing device, reads the avatar information according to the comparison result, and displays the avatars of the users included in the read avatar information on the display.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a control method of a refrigerator which operates a cooling cycle including two storage compartments, a compressor, a condenser, a valve, fans, and evaporators for cooling the respective storage compartments, with one of the fans (5) corresponding to the storage compartment for storing items at relatively low temperatures being activated for a set amount of time even after the compressor is deactivated at the completion of cooling of the storage compartment for storing items at relatively low temperatures.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a supercooling recognition method and a supercooling apparatus which can rapidly and precisely judge whether a stored object is maintained in a supercooled state on the basis of a temperature thereof. A supercooling recognition method according to the present invention includes the steps of: cooling a stored object to below a temperature of a maximum ice crystal formation zone thereof; and judging whether the stored object is maintained in a supercooled state on the basis of a temperature thereof during the cooling step.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a supercooling apparatus which maintains an object and liquid in a supercooled state. According to the present invention, a supercooling apparatus includes a cooling chamber supplied with cool air, and a heating device (100) for preventing freezing of water by heating air over a container (200) storing an object or liquid and cooled in the cooling chamber. In this configuration, the air over the container (200) where ice crystals are easily formed is heated to prevent freezing of water stored in the container (200) and store water in a supercooled state.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an apparatus for supercooling which can stably maintain a liquid in a supercooled state at below a phase transition temperature. The apparatus for supercooling, which can maintain a supercooled state of a liquid or contents even below a phase transition temperature, comprises: a storage space for storing a container accommodating a liquid or contents containing the liquid; a cooling means for cooling the liquid or contents or the storage space below the phase transition temperature of the liquid or the contents; and a temperature maintaining unit for applying energy to the surface of the liquid or contents or to a gas near the surface, wherein the liquid or the contents are maintained in a supercooled state by preventing freezing nuclei from being formed on the surface of the liquid or contents or in the gas near the surface by application of energy.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a supercooling method and a supercooling apparatus which can maintain an object in a supercooled state. According to the present invention, a supercooling method includes a first cooling step of cooling a stored object toward a cooling temperature below a phase transition temperature thereof, a step of judging whether the stored object is released from a supercooled state in the first cooling step, a step of thawing the stored object when the stored object is released from the supercooled state, and a second cooling step of cooling the stored object toward a cooling temperature below zero that is higher than the lowest temperature of the stored object before the release of the supercooled state, wherein the first cooling step is continuously performed when the object is maintained in the supercooled state.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a refrigerator which can perform direct cooling of circulating cool air by natural convection in a freezing chamber (F) and a refrigerating chamber (R), and which can selectively perform indirect cooling of circulating cool air by forcible convection in the refrigerating chamber. It is like that, frost or condensed water formed in the refrigerating chamber (R) of the direct cooling type refrigerator does not Influence the inside of the refrigerating chamber. In addition, the refrigerator efficiently performs a defrosting operation of the refrigerating chamber (R), sanitarily performs a cooling operation, and maintains uniform cooling performance.