A thawing method, apparatus and a refrigerator

Abstract

This application relates to a defrosting method, apparatus, and refrigerator. Applicable to a refrigerator, the refrigerator includes a defrosting compartment, a defrosting plate, and a defrosting fan. The defrosting plate is rotatable. The method includes: responding to a received defrosting command, detecting whether the defrosting plate is located inside the defrosting compartment; if the defrosting plate is detected to be inside the defrosting compartment, switching the refrigerator's defrosting valve to the condenser side, so that refrigerant flows sequentially through the refrigerator's compressor, condenser, and condenser pipe; and turning on the defrosting fan to control the rotation of the defrosting plate. This method can solve the problems of high power consumption or poor food texture due to uneven heating in the defrosting area in existing defrosting methods.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of refrigerator technology, and in particular to a defrosting method, apparatus and a refrigerator. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of refrigeration technology, freezing equipment has been widely used. Refrigerators have become essential equipment for refrigeration and freezing in homes and industries. As refrigerators become more widely used, people's requirements for them are also increasing; they not only need refrigeration and freezing functions, but also defrosting functions.

[0003] Existing defrosting methods mainly involve using electric heating devices to heat and defrost the food in the defrosting chamber, or utilizing heat generated at the compressor end of the refrigeration circuit, controlled by valves and pipelines, to defrost the food in the defrosting chamber. Using electric heating devices for defrosting not only consumes a lot of power and energy, but also affects the taste of the food. On the other hand, using heat generated at the compressor end of the refrigeration circuit results in uneven temperature distribution as the refrigerant exchanges heat with the food, leading to different textures and flavors in different parts of the food.

[0004] Existing defrosting methods suffer from problems such as high power consumption and uneven heating of the defrosting area, resulting in poor food texture. No effective solutions have yet been proposed. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a defrosting method, apparatus, and refrigerator to address the aforementioned technical problems.

[0006] Firstly, this application provides a defrosting method. Applicable to a refrigerator, the refrigerator includes a defrosting chamber, a defrosting plate, and a defrosting fan, the defrosting plate being rotatable. The method includes the following steps:

[0007] In response to a received defrost command, detect whether the defrost plate is located inside the defrost chamber;

[0008] When the defrosting plate is detected to be inside the defrosting chamber, the defrosting valve of the refrigerator is switched to the condenser pipe side, so that the refrigerant flows sequentially through the refrigerator's compressor, condenser, and condenser pipe; and the defrosting fan is turned on to control the rotation of the defrosting plate.

[0009] In one embodiment, turning on the defrosting fan and controlling the rotation of the defrosting plate includes the following steps:

[0010] Determine the current temperature of the food to be thawed and the preset thawing temperature;

[0011] Based on the current temperature of the food to be thawed and the preset thawing temperature, the first rotation speed of the thawing fan and the second rotation speed of the thawing plate are determined;

[0012] The defrosting fan is controlled to rotate at the first speed, and the defrosting plate is controlled to rotate at the second speed.

[0013] In one embodiment, determining the first rotational speed of the defrosting fan and the second rotational speed of the defrosting plate based on the current temperature of the food to be defrosted and the preset defrosting temperature includes the following steps:

[0014] Based on the temperature difference between the current temperature of the food to be thawed and the preset thawing temperature, the correspondence between the preset temperature difference and the first rotation speed, and the correspondence between the preset temperature difference and the second rotation speed, the first rotation speed of the thawing fan and the second rotation speed of the thawing plate corresponding to the current temperature of the food to be thawed are determined.

[0015] In one embodiment, the thawing method further includes the following steps:

[0016] When the temperature of the food to be thawed reaches the preset thawing temperature, the thawing valve is cut off from the condenser tube side, the thawing fan is turned off, the thawing plate is stopped rotating, and the food to be thawed and the thawing plate are moved to the variable temperature compartment of the refrigerator for storage.

[0017] In one embodiment, the thawing method further includes the following steps:

[0018] Based on the thawing time in the received thawing command, determine whether the current time has reached the thawing time;

[0019] If the current time has not reached the defrosting time, the food to be defrosted and the defrosting plate are kept in the variable temperature compartment of the refrigerator for insulation.

[0020] When the current time reaches the thawing time, the food to be thawed and the thawing plate are transferred to the thawing chamber of the refrigerator for thawing.

[0021] Secondly, this application also provides a defrosting device. Applicable to a refrigerator, the refrigerator includes a defrosting chamber, a defrosting plate, and a defrosting fan, the defrosting plate being rotatable, and the device comprising:

[0022] The detection module is used to detect whether the defrosting plate is located inside the defrosting chamber in response to a received defrosting command;

[0023] The refrigerator also includes a defrosting module, which, when the defrosting plate is detected to be inside the defrosting chamber, switches the defrosting valve of the refrigerator to the condenser side, so that the refrigerant flows sequentially through the refrigerator's compressor, condenser, and condenser; and turns on the defrosting fan to control the rotation of the defrosting plate.

[0024] Thirdly, this application also provides a refrigerator. The refrigerator includes a refrigerator compartment, a freezer compartment, and a defrosting system;

[0025] The refrigerator compartment is located on the top shelf of the refrigerator;

[0026] The freezer compartment is located below the refrigerator compartment; the freezer compartment includes a freezing space, a variable temperature compartment, and a thawing compartment; the variable temperature compartment and the thawing compartment are side by side and located below the freezing space of the freezer compartment;

[0027] The thawing system is used to implement the thawing method described in the first aspect above.

[0028] In one embodiment, the freezer compartment includes at least one freezer air outlet and a damper corresponding to the freezer air outlet;

[0029] The variable temperature chamber includes at least one variable temperature air outlet, a damper corresponding to the variable temperature air outlet, and a first sensor; the first sensor is used to detect the temperature of the variable temperature chamber.

[0030] The defrosting chamber includes a defrosting fan, a second sensor, and a rotatable defrosting plate; the defrosting fan is used to rotate at a first rotational speed when the defrosting plate is detected to be inside the defrosting chamber; the second sensor is used to detect the temperature of the food to be defrosted; the defrosting plate is used to rotate at a second rotational speed when the defrosting plate is detected to be inside the defrosting chamber.

[0031] A sliding door is provided between the variable temperature chamber and the thawing chamber;

[0032] A slide rail is provided between the variable temperature chamber and the thawing chamber; the thawing plate can move along the slide rail between the variable temperature chamber and the thawing chamber.

[0033] In one embodiment, the defrosting system includes a compressor, a condenser, a defrosting valve, a dryer filter, a condenser coil, and a refrigeration / freezing assembly;

[0034] The compressor, connected to the condenser and the refrigeration and freezing assembly, is used to compress the low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant received from the refrigeration and freezing assembly into a high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant.

[0035] The condenser is connected to the compressor and the defrosting valve respectively, and is used to cool the high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant from the compressor into a medium-temperature liquid refrigerant.

[0036] The defrosting valve, connected to the dryer filter and the condenser tube, is used to switch to the condenser tube side when the defrosting plate is detected to be inside the defrosting chamber, so that the medium-temperature liquid refrigerant flowing out of the condenser flows into the condenser tube; and to switch to the dryer filter side when the temperature of the food to be defrosted reaches the preset defrosting temperature, so that the medium-temperature liquid refrigerant flowing out of the condenser flows into the dryer filter.

[0037] The dryer filter is used to dry and filter the refrigerant that needs to flow into the refrigeration and freezing assembly;

[0038] The condenser is used to defrost the food to be defrosted on the defrosting plate by means of heat dissipation when the defrosting valve is turned on.

[0039] The refrigeration and freezing assembly is used to refrigerate the refrigerator compartment and the freezer compartment.

[0040] In one embodiment, the condenser is a serpentine condenser; the serpentine condenser is laid flat in the defrosting chamber.

[0041] The aforementioned defrosting method, apparatus, and refrigerator, in response to a received defrosting command, detect whether the defrosting plate is located inside the defrosting chamber. If the defrosting plate is located inside the defrosting chamber, the defrosting valve is switched to the condenser pipe side, allowing refrigerant to flow through the refrigerator's compressor, condenser, and condenser pipe. Simultaneously, the defrosting fan is turned on, and the defrosting plate is rotated. The condenser pipe dissipates heat to defrost the food on the defrosting plate, and the rotation of the defrosting plate rotates the food to be defrosted. This solves the problem of uneven defrosting in different parts, eliminates the need for electric defrosting, saves energy, and addresses the problems of high power consumption and poor food texture caused by uneven heating in the defrosting area in existing defrosting methods.

[0042] Details of one or more embodiments of this application are set forth in the following drawings and description to make other features, objects and advantages of this application more readily apparent. Attached Figure Description

[0043] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of this application and form part of this application, illustrate exemplary embodiments of this application and are used to explain this application, but do not constitute an undue limitation of this application. In the drawings:

[0044] Figure 1 This is a hardware structure block diagram of a terminal for a defrosting method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0045] Figure 2 This is a flowchart of a thawing method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0046] Figure 3 This is a flowchart of a thawing method provided in a preferred embodiment of this application;

[0047] Figure 4 This is a structural block diagram of a defrosting device provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0048] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a refrigerator provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0049] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the freezer compartment structure of a refrigerator provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0050] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a defrosting system provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0051] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of another defrosting system provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0052] Figure 9 This is a flowchart of the thawing process of a thawing system provided in another preferred embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0053] To better understand the purpose, technical solution, and advantages of this application, the application is described and illustrated below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0054] Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used in this application shall have the general meaning as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains. Words such as “a,” “an,” “an,” “the,” “the,” and “these,” used in this application, do not indicate quantitative limitation and may be singular or plural. The terms “comprising,” “including,” “having,” and any variations thereof used in this application are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion; for example, a process, method, system, product, or device that comprises a series of steps or modules (units) is not limited to the listed steps or modules (units) but may include steps or modules (units) not listed, or may include other steps or modules (units) inherent to such processes, methods, products, or devices. The terms “connected,” “linked,” and “coupled,” used in this application, are not limited to physical or mechanical connections but may include electrical connections, whether direct or indirect. The term “multiple” used in this application refers to two or more. The "and / or" operator describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, "A and / or B" can represent three cases: A alone, A and B simultaneously, and B alone. Typically, the character " / " indicates that the objects before and after it are in an "or" relationship. The terms "first," "second," and "third," etc., used in this application are merely for distinguishing similar objects and do not represent a specific ordering of the objects.

[0055] The method embodiments provided in this example can be executed on a terminal, computer, or similar computing device. For example, it can run on a terminal. Figure 1 This is a hardware structure block diagram of the terminal for the unfreezing method in this embodiment. For example... Figure 1 As shown, a terminal may include one or more ( Figure 1 Only one is shown in the diagram. A processor 102 and a memory 104 for storing data are also included. The processor 102 may be, but is not limited to, a microprocessor (MCU) or a programmable logic device (FPGA). The terminal may also include a transmission device 106 for communication functions and an input / output device 108. Those skilled in the art will understand that… Figure 1 The structure shown is for illustrative purposes only and does not limit the structure of the terminal described above. For example, the terminal may also include components that are larger than... Figure 1 The more or fewer components shown, or having the same Figure 1 The different configurations shown are illustrated.

[0056] The memory 104 can be used to store computer programs, such as application software programs and modules, like the computer program corresponding to the unfreezing method in this embodiment. The processor 102 executes various functional applications and data processing by running the computer program stored in the memory 104, thereby implementing the above-described method. The memory 104 may include high-speed random access memory, and may also include non-volatile memory, such as one or more magnetic storage devices, flash memory, or other non-volatile solid-state memory. In some instances, the memory 104 may further include memory remotely located relative to the processor 102, and these remote memories can be connected to the terminal via a network. Examples of such networks include, but are not limited to, the Internet, corporate intranets, local area networks, mobile communication networks, and combinations thereof.

[0057] The transmission device 106 is used to receive or send data via a network. This network includes a wireless network provided by the terminal's communication provider. In one example, the transmission device 106 includes a Network Interface Controller (NIC), which can connect to other network devices via a base station to communicate with the Internet. In another example, the transmission device 106 can be a Radio Frequency (RF) module used for wireless communication with the Internet.

[0058] This embodiment provides a defrosting method applicable to a refrigerator. The refrigerator includes a defrosting compartment, a defrosting plate, and a defrosting fan. The defrosting plate is rotatable. Figure 2 This is a flowchart of the thawing method in this embodiment, as follows: Figure 2 As shown, the process includes the following steps:

[0059] Step S210: In response to the received defrost command, detect whether the defrost plate is located inside the defrost chamber.

[0060] The aforementioned defrost command can be a defrost command generated by the user in advance through the defrost settings interface or defrost settings button of a smart device, control panel, or APP (Application), to control the refrigerator's defrost system to defrost the food to be defrosted after the defrost time specified in the defrost information is reached. The defrost information may include defrost time, defrost temperature, and the storage location and temperature of the defrosted food after defrosting. The aforementioned defrost command may include the defrost temperature and the storage location and temperature of the defrosted food after defrosting.

[0061] Before thawing food, it is necessary to ensure that the food is on a thawing plate and that the thawing plate is located inside the thawing chamber. Therefore, after receiving the thawing command, it is necessary to first check whether the thawing plate is inside the thawing chamber.

[0062] In step S220, when it is detected that the defrosting plate is inside the defrosting chamber, the defrosting valve of the refrigerator is switched to the condenser pipe side, so that the refrigerant flows through the refrigerator's compressor, condenser, and condenser pipe in sequence; and the defrosting fan is turned on to control the rotation of the defrosting plate.

[0063] In this embodiment, the aforementioned defrost valve is located between the condenser and the condenser tube. It can be switched to allow refrigerant to flow through or not through the condenser tube in the refrigeration circuit. Therefore, when the defrost plate is detected to be inside the defrost chamber, switching the refrigerator's defrost valve to the condenser tube side allows refrigerant to flow through the condenser tube. Specifically, by switching the refrigerator's defrost valve to the condenser tube side, the refrigerant flows sequentially through the refrigerator's compressor, condenser, and condenser tube.

[0064] When the high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant formed by the refrigerator compressor flows through the condenser, the condenser releases medium-temperature liquid refrigerant. At this point, the medium-temperature liquid refrigerant enters the condenser tube and can promote air circulation through the defrosting fan and achieve uniform defrosting of the food on the defrosting plate by rotating the defrosting plate.

[0065] Generally, the temperature of the refrigerant flowing out of the refrigerator condenser is around 30°C. Therefore, the refrigerant entering the condenser coil is approximately 30°C. It should be noted that the refrigerant temperature can be adjusted depending on the specific circumstances. Generally, the temperature of the refrigerant flowing through the condenser varies depending on the type of refrigerant, the compressor's power, and the condenser's configuration. If the refrigerant temperature is too high, it can lead to poor texture of the thawed food. Therefore, the temperature of the refrigerant output from the condenser can be further adjusted to ensure it is a medium-temperature refrigerant. A medium-temperature refrigerant avoids the problem of excessively high temperatures causing poor texture of the thawed food. Based on this, the specific temperature of the medium-temperature refrigerant is not limited in this embodiment, as long as the heat dissipation of the medium-temperature refrigerant in the condenser coil, the rotation of the defrosting fan, and the rotation of the defrosting plate ensure even defrosting of the food.

[0066] In steps S210 to S220 above, in response to the received defrost command, it is detected whether the defrost plate is located inside the defrost chamber. If the defrost plate is located inside the defrost chamber, the defrost valve is switched to the condenser pipe side, so that the refrigerant flows through the refrigerator's compressor, condenser, and condenser pipe. At the same time, the defrost fan is turned on, and the defrost plate is controlled to rotate. The condenser pipe is used to dissipate heat to defrost the food on the defrost plate, and the rotation of the defrost plate is used to rotate the food to be defrosted. This solves the problem of uneven defrosting in different parts, and does not require electric heating defrosting, saving energy. It solves the problems of high power consumption and poor food taste caused by uneven heating in the defrost area in existing defrost methods.

[0067] In one embodiment, based on step S220, turning on the defrosting fan and controlling the rotation of the defrosting plate includes the following steps:

[0068] Step S222: Determine the current temperature of the food to be thawed and the preset thawing temperature.

[0069] The aforementioned preset defrosting temperature can be the defrosting temperature set by the user in the defrosting information. Alternatively, the preset defrosting temperature can be a pre-set temperature value required for the food to be defrosted, based on its properties and requirements. The preset defrosting temperature setting can be based on the properties and requirements of the food to be defrosted, ensuring effective defrosting without damaging its structure, nutrients, activity, or texture. Determining the current temperature of the food to be defrosted can be done through a sensor. This sensor can be a sensor used to measure the temperature of the food to be defrosted. The type of sensor can vary depending on its location. Specifically, if the sensor is located on the defrosting plate, it can be a contact sensor, such as a thermocouple sensor or a thermistor sensor. If the sensor is located inside the defrosting chamber, not on the defrosting plate, it can be a non-contact sensor, such as an infrared sensor.

[0070] Step S224: Based on the current temperature of the food to be thawed and the preset thawing temperature, determine the first rotation speed of the thawing fan and the second rotation speed of the thawing plate.

[0071] In this step, the determination of the first speed of the defrosting fan and the second speed of the defrosting plate based on the current temperature of the food to be defrosted and the preset defrosting temperature can be achieved by determining the first speed of the defrosting fan and the second speed of the defrosting plate based on the temperature difference between the current temperature of the food to be defrosted and the preset defrosting temperature. This is because the speed of the defrosting fan and the speed of the defrosting plate affect the defrosting speed of the food. Specifically, the faster the defrosting fan speed, the faster the food defrosts, and the slower the defrosting fan speed, the slower the food defrosts. Similarly, the faster the defrosting plate speed, the faster the food defrosts, and the slower the defrosting plate speed, the slower the food defrosts. Therefore, the first speed of the defrosting fan and the second speed of the defrosting plate can be adjusted according to the temperature difference between the current temperature of the food to be defrosted and the preset defrosting temperature, thereby adjusting the defrosting speed of the food.

[0072] Step S226: Control the defrosting fan to rotate at the first speed and control the defrosting plate to rotate at the second speed.

[0073] Steps S222 to S226 above determine the current temperature of the food to be thawed and a preset thawing temperature. Based on these temperatures, they determine the first rotational speed of the thawing fan and the second rotational speed of the thawing plate. Then, they control the thawing fan to rotate at the first rotational speed and the thawing plate to rotate at the second rotational speed. By adjusting the first rotational speed of the thawing fan and the second rotational speed of the thawing plate based on the current temperature and the preset thawing temperature of the food, the thawing speed of the food is adjusted.

[0074] Specifically, in one embodiment, step S224 above, which determines the first rotation speed of the defrosting fan and the second rotation speed of the defrosting plate based on the current temperature of the food to be defrosted and the preset defrosting temperature, includes the following steps:

[0075] Step S2242: Based on the temperature difference between the current temperature of the food to be thawed and the preset thawing temperature, the correspondence between the preset temperature difference and the first rotation speed, and the correspondence between the preset temperature difference and the second rotation speed, determine the first rotation speed of the thawing fan and the second rotation speed of the thawing plate corresponding to the current temperature of the food to be thawed.

[0076] The aforementioned preset temperature difference and first rotational speed correspondence can be an expression, a graph, or a table. Similarly, the aforementioned preset temperature difference and second rotational speed correspondence can be an expression, a graph, or a table. It should be noted that both the preset temperature difference and first rotational speed correspondences can be pre-set based on requirements and the defrosting capacity of the defrosting system, used to adjust the speed difference and rotational speed correspondence during defrosting.

[0077] In another embodiment, the above-described thawing method further includes:

[0078] In step S230, when the temperature of the food to be thawed reaches the preset thawing temperature, the thawing valve is cut off from the condenser side, the thawing fan is turned off, the thawing plate is stopped rotating, and the food to be thawed and the thawing plate are moved to the variable temperature compartment of the refrigerator for storage.

[0079] The aforementioned variable-temperature compartment can be used for storing food before and after freezing. The temperature within the compartment can be set according to specific needs. If the compartment is used to store frozen food and to maintain the frozen state, the temperature can be set to a lower temperature, such as -10℃. If the compartment is used to store thawed food, a suitable temperature can be set as needed, such as 5℃.

[0080] In one embodiment, the above-mentioned thawing method further includes:

[0081] Step S240: Based on the thawing time in the received thawing command, determine whether the current time has reached the thawing time.

[0082] The above thawing time can be the starting time for thawing the food.

[0083] Step S250: If the defrosting time has not yet been reached, keep the food to be defrosted and the defrosting plate in the variable temperature compartment of the refrigerator for insulation.

[0084] To prevent food from thawing too early and affecting its freshness when taken out and during storage, food can be stored in a freezer compartment before thawing. When thawing is needed, the food can be moved to the thawing compartment.

[0085] Step S260: When the defrosting time has been reached, control the food to be defrosted and the defrosting plate to be transferred to the defrosting compartment of the refrigerator for defrosting.

[0086] Steps S240 to S260 above involve determining whether the current time has reached the defrosting time based on the defrosting time in the received defrosting command. If the current time has not reached the defrosting time, the food to be defrosted and the defrosting plate are kept in the refrigerator's variable temperature compartment for insulation. If the current time has reached the defrosting time, the food to be defrosted and the defrosting plate are transferred to the refrigerator's defrosting compartment for defrosting. By setting the defrosting time, food to be defrosted can be frozen and stored in the insulation compartment when defrosting is not required. When defrosting is needed, the food and the defrosting plate are moved together to the defrosting compartment for defrosting, thus avoiding premature thawing and affecting the freshness of the food.

[0087] The present embodiment will now be described and illustrated through preferred embodiments.

[0088] Figure 3 This is a flowchart of a defrosting method provided in a preferred embodiment of this application. It is applicable to refrigerators, which include a defrosting chamber, a defrosting plate, and a defrosting fan. The defrosting plate is rotatable. Figure 3 As shown, the thawing method includes the following steps:

[0089] Step S301: In response to the received defrost command, detect whether the defrost plate is located inside the defrost chamber;

[0090] Step S302: When it is detected that the defrosting plate is inside the defrosting chamber, the defrosting valve of the refrigerator is switched to the condenser pipe side, so that the refrigerant flows through the refrigerator's compressor, condenser and condenser pipe in sequence.

[0091] Step S303: Determine the current temperature of the food to be thawed and the preset thawing temperature;

[0092] Step S304: Based on the temperature difference between the current temperature of the food to be thawed and the preset thaw temperature, the correspondence between the preset temperature difference and the first rotation speed, and the correspondence between the preset temperature difference and the second rotation speed, determine the first rotation speed of the thaw fan and the second rotation speed of the thaw plate corresponding to the current temperature of the food to be thawed.

[0093] Step S305: Control the defrosting fan to rotate at the first speed and control the defrosting plate to rotate at the second speed;

[0094] Step S306: When the temperature of the food to be thawed reaches the preset thawing temperature, cut the thawing valve off the condenser side, turn off the thawing fan, control the thawing plate to stop rotating, and move the food to be thawed and the thawing plate to the variable temperature compartment of the refrigerator for storage.

[0095] In steps S301 to S306 above, in response to the received defrost command, it is detected whether the defrost plate is located inside the defrost chamber. If the defrost plate is located inside the defrost chamber, the defrost valve is switched to the condenser pipe side, so that the refrigerant flows through the refrigerator's compressor, condenser, and condenser pipe. At the same time, the defrost fan is turned on, and the defrost plate is controlled to rotate. The condenser pipe is used to dissipate heat to defrost the food on the defrost plate, and the rotation of the defrost plate is used to rotate the food to be defrosted. This solves the problem of uneven defrosting in different parts, and does not require electric heating defrosting, saving energy. It solves the problems of high power consumption and poor food taste caused by uneven heating in the defrost area in existing defrost methods.

[0096] It should be understood that although the steps in the flowcharts of the embodiments described above are shown sequentially according to the arrows, these steps are not necessarily executed in the order indicated by the arrows. Unless explicitly stated herein, there is no strict order restriction on the execution of these steps, and they can be executed in other orders. Moreover, at least some steps in the flowcharts of the embodiments described above may include multiple steps or multiple stages. These steps or stages are not necessarily completed at the same time, but can be executed at different times. The execution order of these steps or stages is not necessarily sequential, but can be performed alternately or in turn with other steps or at least some of the steps or stages of other steps.

[0097] Based on the same inventive concept, a defrosting device is also provided in this embodiment. This device is used to implement the above embodiments and preferred embodiments, and details already described will not be repeated. The terms "module," "unit," "subunit," etc., used below can refer to combinations of software and / or hardware that implement a predetermined function. Although the device described in the following embodiments is preferably implemented in software, hardware implementation, or a combination of software and hardware, is also possible and contemplated.

[0098] In one embodiment, Figure 4 This is a structural block diagram of a defrosting device provided in one embodiment of this application, applicable to a refrigerator. The refrigerator includes a defrosting chamber, a defrosting plate, and a defrosting fan. The defrosting plate is rotatable. Figure 4 As shown, the defrosting device includes:

[0099] Detection module 42 is used to detect whether the defrosting plate is located inside the defrosting chamber in response to the received defrosting command;

[0100] And a defrosting module 44, used to switch the refrigerator's defrosting valve to the condenser side when the defrosting plate is detected to be inside the defrosting chamber, so that the refrigerant flows through the refrigerator's compressor, condenser and condenser in sequence; and to turn on the defrosting fan and control the defrosting plate to rotate.

[0101] The aforementioned defrosting device, in response to a received defrosting command, detects whether the defrosting plate is located inside the defrosting chamber. If the defrosting plate is located inside the defrosting chamber, it switches the defrosting valve to the condenser pipe side, allowing refrigerant to flow through the refrigerator's compressor, condenser, and condenser pipe. Simultaneously, it turns on the defrosting fan and controls the defrosting plate to rotate. The condenser pipe dissipates heat to defrost the food on the defrosting plate, and the rotation of the defrosting plate rotates the food to be defrosted, solving the problem of uneven defrosting in different parts. Furthermore, it does not require electric heating for defrosting, saving energy and addressing the problems of existing defrosting methods, which consume a lot of electricity and result in poor food texture due to uneven heating in the defrosting area.

[0102] It should be noted that the above modules can be functional modules or program modules, and can be implemented through software or hardware. For modules implemented through hardware, the above modules can reside in the same processor; or the above modules can be located in different processors in any combination.

[0103] In one embodiment, the refrigerator includes a refrigerator compartment, a freezer compartment, and a defrosting system. Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a refrigerator provided in one embodiment of this application, as shown below. Figure 5 As shown, the refrigerator compartment 510 is located on the top layer of the refrigerator; the freezer compartment 520 is located on the bottom layer of the refrigerator compartment 510; the freezer compartment 520 includes a freezing space 522, a variable temperature compartment 524, and a defrosting compartment 526; the variable temperature compartment 524 and the defrosting compartment 526 are side by side and located on the bottom layer of the freezing space 522 of the freezer compartment 520; the defrosting system is used to implement any of the defrosting methods in the above embodiments.

[0104] In one embodiment, Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the freezer compartment 520 of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of this application, as shown below. Figure 6As shown, the freezer compartment 520 includes at least one freezer air outlet 5222 and a corresponding damper 5224; the variable temperature compartment 524 includes at least one variable temperature air outlet 5242, a corresponding damper 5244, and a first sensor 5246; the first sensor 5246 is used to detect the temperature of the variable temperature compartment 524; the defrost compartment 526 includes a defrost fan 5262, a second sensor 5264, and a rotatable defrost plate 5266; the defrost fan 5262 is used to detect when the defrost plate 5266 is located at a certain position. Inside the defrosting chamber 526, the food rotates at a first rotational speed; a second sensor 5264 is used to detect the temperature of the food to be defrosted; a defrosting plate 5266 is used to rotate at a second rotational speed when it is detected that the defrosting plate 5266 is inside the defrosting chamber 526; a sliding door 528 is provided between the variable temperature chamber 524 and the defrosting chamber 526; a slide rail 529 is provided between the variable temperature chamber 524 and the defrosting chamber 526; the defrosting plate 5266 can move along the slide rail 529 between the variable temperature chamber 524 and the defrosting chamber 526.

[0105] In this embodiment, the slide rail 529 can be located on the underside of the variable temperature chamber 524 and the thawing chamber 526, or it can be located in other parts, as long as the slide rail 529 enables the sliding plate to move between the variable temperature chamber 524 and the thawing chamber 526. The thawing plate 5266 is disposed on the slide rail 529. Through the design of the slide rail 529 and the sliding door 528, the defrosting plate 5266 can move between the variable temperature compartment 524 and the defrosting chamber 526. When the food to be defrosted does not need to be defrosted, the defrosting plate 5266 and the food on it are stored in the preservation compartment for freezing. At this time, the sliding door 528 is closed. When the food to be defrosted needs to be defrosted, the sliding door 528 is opened, and the defrosting plate 5266 and the food on it are moved along the slide rail 529 into the defrosting chamber 526. The sliding door 528 is then closed, and the food on the defrosting plate 5266 is defrosted. When the temperature of the food to be defrosted reaches the preset defrosting temperature, the sliding door 528 is opened, and the defrosting plate 5266 and the defrosted food on it are moved along the slide rail 529 into the variable temperature compartment 524 for storage.

[0106] Preferably, when thawing food on the defrosting plate 5266, once the temperature of the food to be thawed reaches the preset defrosting temperature, i.e., after thawing is complete, the defrosting valve can be switched off to the condenser side, the defrosting fan 5262 can be turned off, the defrosting plate 5266 can be stopped rotating, and the sliding door 528 can be opened. At this time, the temperature inside the defrosting chamber 526 is basically the same as the temperature inside the insulation chamber, and the defrosting chamber 526 can be used as an insulation chamber.

[0107] It should be noted that the variable temperature compartment 524 and the freezer compartment 520 share a common freezer air duct, corresponding to the freezer air outlet 5222. The freezer air outlet 5222 is controlled by a damper 5224 corresponding to the freezer air outlet. Specifically, the direction and flow rate of the cold air can be adjusted and controlled through the damper 5224 corresponding to the freezer air outlet to ensure that the cold air can be effectively distributed to the spaces in the variable temperature compartment 524 and the freezer compartment 520 that need cooling.

[0108] Preferably, a sterilization filter can also be installed at the variable temperature air outlet 5242, which is used to sterilize the circulating air blown into the variable temperature chamber 524.

[0109] Furthermore, the temperature inside the variable temperature chamber 524 is detected by the first sensor 5246, and the opening and closing of the damper 5244 corresponding to the variable temperature air outlet is controlled based on the detected temperature inside the variable temperature chamber 524, so as to control the temperature inside the variable temperature chamber 524.

[0110] In addition, in order to utilize the heat transferred from the compressor compartment, the defrosting chamber 526 can be positioned close to the compressor, so that some of the heat from the compressor compartment can be transferred to the defrosting chamber 526 through the casing.

[0111] Furthermore, in one embodiment, Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a defrosting system provided in an embodiment of this application, as shown below. Figure 7 As shown, the defrosting system includes a compressor 810, a condenser 820, a defrosting valve 830, a dryer filter 840, a condenser coil 850, and a refrigeration / freezing assembly 860. The compressor 810, connected to the condenser 820 and the refrigeration / freezing assembly 860, is used to compress the low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant received from the refrigeration / freezing assembly 860 into a high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant. The condenser 820, connected to both the compressor 810 and the defrosting valve 830, is used to cool the high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant exiting the compressor 810 into a medium-temperature liquid refrigerant. The defrosting valve 830, connected to the dryer filter 840 and the condenser coil 850, is used to cool the defrosting plate 5266 when it is detected that the defrosting plate 5266 is located in the defrosting chamber 526. When the internal condition is such that the refrigerant is switched to the condenser 850 side, the medium-temperature liquid refrigerant flowing out of the condenser 820 flows into the condenser 850; when the temperature of the food to be thawed reaches the preset thawing temperature, the refrigerant is switched to the dryer filter 840 side, the medium-temperature liquid refrigerant flowing out of the condenser 820 flows into the dryer filter 840; the dryer filter 840 is used to dry and filter the refrigerant that needs to flow into the refrigeration and freezing assembly 860; the condenser 850 is used to thaw the food to be thawed on the thawing plate 5266 by heat dissipation when the thawing valve 830 is turned on; the refrigeration and freezing assembly 860 is used to cool the refrigerator compartment 510 and the freezer compartment 520.

[0112] In this embodiment, the aforementioned dryer filter 840 is also connected to the refrigerator-freezing assembly 860 and the condenser pipe 850. When food in the defrosting compartment 526 needs to be defrosted, the defrosting valve 830 switches to the condenser pipe 850 side, allowing the refrigerant to flow sequentially through the refrigerator's compressor 810, condenser 820, condenser pipe 850, dryer filter 840, and refrigerator-freezing assembly 860, and then back to the compressor 810 via the refrigerator-freezing assembly 860. The food is defrosted using the liquid refrigerant with residual heat flowing from the condenser 820. When defrosting is complete (when the temperature of the food to be defrosted reaches the preset defrosting temperature), or in other cases where defrosting is not required, the defrosting valve 830 switches to the dryer filter 840 side, allowing the refrigerant to flow sequentially through the refrigerator's compressor 810, condenser 820, dryer filter 840, and refrigerator-freezing assembly 860, and then back to the compressor 810 via the refrigerator-freezing assembly 860.

[0113] See also Figure 7 It is equipped with two variable temperature air outlets 5242.

[0114] In another embodiment, the aforementioned defrosting plate 5266 may be a circular metal with a rotating structure, the surface of which is treated with nano-silver ions to have antibacterial properties.

[0115] Furthermore, if the user cancels the defrosting process or while waiting for defrosting, the defrosting plate 5266 and the food on it will be automatically transferred to the variable temperature compartment 524 for frozen storage. The default storage temperature is a preset temperature (e.g., -20°C) or can be set by the user as needed. Additionally, if the user wishes to temporarily store cooked food, the heat from the refrigerant in the condenser 850 can be used to perform a slight heat treatment on the cooked food (within the defrosting compartment 526). Specifically, the temperature of the food within the defrosting compartment 526 can be controlled by setting the defrosting temperature.

[0116] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of another defrosting system provided in one embodiment of this application, as shown below. Figure 8 As shown, the refrigeration and freezing assembly 860 includes an electric valve 861, a refrigeration evaporator 862, a refrigeration capillary tube 863, a freezing evaporator 864, a freezing capillary tube 865, and a return air assembly 866.

[0117] The aforementioned electric valve 861 is connected to the dryer filter 840, the refrigeration capillary tube 863, and the freezing capillary tube 865. The refrigeration capillary tube 863 is also connected to the refrigeration evaporator 862, the refrigeration evaporator 862 is also connected to the freezing evaporator 864, the freezing evaporator 864 is also connected to the freezing capillary tube 865 and the return gas pipe assembly 866, and the return gas pipe assembly 866 is also connected to the compressor 810.

[0118] The aforementioned electric valve 861 is used to control whether the refrigerant flowing from the dryer filter 840 enters the refrigeration capillary tube 865 or the refrigerator capillary tube 863. When the refrigerant flowing from the dryer filter 840 enters the refrigeration capillary tube 865, the refrigerant flows sequentially from the dryer filter 840 through the refrigeration capillary tube 865, the refrigeration evaporator 864, the return gas pipe assembly 866, and the compressor 810. When the refrigerant flowing from the dryer filter 840 enters the refrigerator capillary tube 863, the refrigerant flows sequentially from the dryer filter 840 through the refrigerator capillary tube 863, the refrigerator evaporator 862, the refrigeration evaporator 864, the return gas pipe assembly 866, and the compressor 810.

[0119] The aforementioned return pipe assembly 866 is used to transport the low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant in the refrigeration evaporator 864 back to the compressor 810.

[0120] Figure 9 This is a flowchart of the thawing process of a thawing system provided in another preferred embodiment of this application. For example... Figure 9 As shown, the defrosting process of this defrosting system includes the following steps:

[0121] Step S1: Place the food on the defrosting plate 5266;

[0122] Step S2: Determine the set defrosting time t0 and defrosting temperature T0;

[0123] Step S3: At this time, the refrigerator receives the defrost command and starts timing t (determine the current time t);

[0124] Step S4: Determine whether the current time is less than the set thawing time t0 (whether t < t0); if the determination result is yes, proceed to step S5; if the determination result is no, proceed to step S12.

[0125] Step S5: Determine whether the defrosting plate 5266 is in the variable temperature compartment 524; if the determination result is yes, proceed to step S6; if the determination result is no, proceed to step S7.

[0126] Step S6: The defrosting plate 5266 remains in position 524 of the variable temperature compartment; proceed to step S8.

[0127] In step S7, the defrosting plate 5266 moves to the variable temperature compartment 524 via the sliding door 528 and the slide rail 529;

[0128] Step S8: Determine whether the user has set the variable temperature chamber 524 temperature; if the determination result is yes, proceed to step S9; if the determination result is no, proceed to step S10.

[0129] Step S9: The variable temperature chamber 524 starts the cooling cycle according to the set temperature; proceed to step S11.

[0130] Step S10: The variable temperature chamber 524 starts the cooling cycle at the default temperature of -20℃;

[0131] Step S11: The food is frozen and stored in the variable temperature compartment 524; proceed to step S4.

[0132] Step S12: Determine whether the defrosting plate 5266 is in the defrosting chamber 526; if the determination result is yes, proceed to step S13; if the determination result is no, proceed to step S14.

[0133] Step S13: The defrosting plate 5266 remains in the defrosting chamber 526 position; proceed to step S15.

[0134] In step S14, the defrosting plate 5266 moves to the defrosting chamber 526 via the sliding door 528 and the slide rail 529;

[0135] Step S15: Determine whether the food temperature T1 is greater than the thawing temperature T0 (food temperature T1 > T0?); if the determination result is yes, proceed to step S16; if the determination result is no, proceed to step S17.

[0136] Step S16: Defrost valve 830 switches to the condenser coil 850 side; proceed to step S22.

[0137] Step S17, the defrost valve 830 is switched to the dryer filter 840 side;

[0138] Step S18: The defrosting fan 5262 stops running, the defrosting plate 5266 stops rotating, and the defrosting is complete;

[0139] In step S19, the defrosting plate 5266 moves to the variable temperature compartment 524 via the sliding door 528 and the slide rail 529;

[0140] Step S20: The variable temperature chamber 524 starts the refrigeration cycle according to the thawing temperature T0;

[0141] Step S21: The food is micro-frozen and stored in the variable temperature compartment 524;

[0142] Step S22: Determine whether the temperature difference between T1 and T0 is greater than or equal to 15℃ (T-T0≥15℃?); if the determination result is yes, proceed to step S23; if the determination result is no, proceed to step S24.

[0143] Step S23: The defrosting plate 5266 rotates at a high speed, and the defrosting fan 5262 runs at high speed; proceed to step S15.

[0144] Step S24: Determine whether the temperature difference between T1 and T0 is less than 5℃ (T-T0<5℃?); if the determination result is yes, proceed to step S25; if the determination result is no, proceed to step S26.

[0145] Step S25: The defrosting plate 5266 rotates at low speed, and the defrosting fan 5262 runs at low speed; proceed to step S15.

[0146] Step S26: The defrosting plate 5266 rotates at medium speed, and the defrosting fan 5262 operates at medium speed; proceed to step S15.

[0147] In another embodiment, the condenser tube 850 is a serpentine condenser tube; the serpentine condenser tube is laid flat inside the defrosting chamber 526.

[0148] The aforementioned serpentine condenser tubes can be evenly laid at the bottom of the defrosting chamber 526, or they can be placed in other parts of the defrosting chamber 526 depending on the specific circumstances. The placement of the serpentine condenser tubes is not specifically limited in this embodiment.

[0149] For example, the defrosting fan 5262 in the defrosting chamber 526 can be located at the top of the defrosting chamber 526, the defrosting plate 5266 can be located at the bottom of the defrosting chamber 526, the defrosting plate 5266 can be located on the slide rail 529, and a serpentine condenser tube can be laid under the slide rail 529.

[0150] Those skilled in the art will understand that all or part of the processes in the methods of the above embodiments can be implemented by a computer program instructing related hardware. The computer program can be stored in a non-volatile computer-readable storage medium, and when executed, it can include the processes of the embodiments of the above methods. Any references to memory, databases, or other media used in the embodiments provided in this application can include at least one of non-volatile and volatile memory. Non-volatile memory can include read-only memory (ROM), magnetic tape, floppy disk, flash memory, optical memory, high-density embedded non-volatile memory, resistive random access memory (ReRAM), magnetic random access memory (MRAM), ferroelectric random access memory (FRAM), phase change memory (PCM), graphene memory, etc. Volatile memory can include random access memory (RAM) or external cache memory, etc. By way of illustration and not limitation, RAM can take many forms, such as Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) or Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM). The databases involved in the embodiments provided in this application may include at least one type of relational database and non-relational database. Non-relational databases may include, but are not limited to, blockchain-based distributed databases. The processors involved in the embodiments provided in this application may be general-purpose processors, central processing units, graphics processing units, digital signal processors, programmable logic devices, quantum computing-based data processing logic devices, etc., and are not limited to these.

[0151] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0152] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementation methods of this application, and while the descriptions are specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of this application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these all fall within the protection scope of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of this application should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A defrosting method, applicable to a refrigerator, the refrigerator comprising a defrosting chamber, a defrosting plate, and a defrosting fan, characterized in that, The defrosting plate is rotatable, and the method includes: In response to a received defrost command, detect whether the defrost plate is located inside the defrost chamber; When the defrosting plate is detected to be inside the defrosting chamber, the defrosting valve of the refrigerator is switched to the condenser pipe side, so that the refrigerant flows sequentially through the refrigerator's compressor, condenser, and condenser pipe; and the defrosting fan is turned on to control the rotation of the defrosting plate.

2. The thawing method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of turning on the defrosting fan and controlling the rotation of the defrosting plate includes: Determine the current temperature of the food to be thawed and the preset thawing temperature; Based on the current temperature of the food to be thawed and the preset thawing temperature, the first rotation speed of the thawing fan and the second rotation speed of the thawing plate are determined; The defrosting fan is controlled to rotate at the first speed, and the defrosting plate is controlled to rotate at the second speed.

3. The thawing method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The step of determining the first rotation speed of the defrosting fan and the second rotation speed of the defrosting plate based on the current temperature of the food to be defrosted and the preset defrosting temperature includes: Based on the temperature difference between the current temperature of the food to be thawed and the preset thawing temperature, the correspondence between the preset temperature difference and the first rotation speed, and the correspondence between the preset temperature difference and the second rotation speed, the first rotation speed of the thawing fan and the second rotation speed of the thawing plate corresponding to the current temperature of the food to be thawed are determined.

4. The thawing method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: When the temperature of the food to be thawed reaches the preset thawing temperature, the thawing valve is cut off from the condenser tube side, the thawing fan is turned off, the thawing plate is stopped rotating, and the food to be thawed and the thawing plate are moved to the variable temperature compartment of the refrigerator for storage.

5. The thawing method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: Based on the thawing time in the received thawing command, determine whether the current time has reached the thawing time; If the current time has not reached the defrosting time, the food to be defrosted and the defrosting plate are kept in the variable temperature compartment of the refrigerator for insulation. When the current time reaches the thawing time, the food to be thawed and the thawing plate are transferred to the thawing chamber of the refrigerator for thawing.

6. A defrosting device suitable for a refrigerator, the refrigerator comprising a defrosting chamber, a defrosting plate, and a defrosting fan, characterized in that, The defrosting plate is rotatable, and the device includes: The detection module is used to detect whether the defrosting plate is located inside the defrosting chamber in response to a received defrosting command; The refrigerator also includes a defrosting module, which, when the defrosting plate is detected to be inside the defrosting chamber, switches the defrosting valve of the refrigerator to the condenser side, so that the refrigerant flows sequentially through the refrigerator's compressor, condenser, and condenser; and turns on the defrosting fan to control the rotation of the defrosting plate.

7. A refrigerator, characterized in that, The refrigerator includes a refrigerator compartment, a freezer compartment, and a defrosting system; The refrigerator compartment is located on the top shelf of the refrigerator; The freezer compartment is located below the refrigerator compartment; the freezer compartment includes a freezing space, a variable temperature compartment, and a thawing compartment; the variable temperature compartment and the thawing compartment are side by side and located below the freezing space of the freezer compartment; The thawing system is used to implement the thawing method according to any one of claims 1-6.

8. The refrigerator according to claim 7, characterized in that, The freezer compartment includes at least one freezer air outlet and a corresponding damper for the freezer air outlet; The variable temperature chamber includes at least one variable temperature air outlet, a damper corresponding to the variable temperature air outlet, and a first sensor; the first sensor is used to detect the temperature of the variable temperature chamber. The defrosting chamber includes a defrosting fan, a second sensor, and a rotatable defrosting plate; the defrosting fan is used to rotate at a first rotational speed when the defrosting plate is detected to be inside the defrosting chamber; the second sensor is used to detect the temperature of the food to be defrosted; the defrosting plate is used to rotate at a second rotational speed when the defrosting plate is detected to be inside the defrosting chamber. A sliding door is provided between the variable temperature chamber and the thawing chamber; A slide rail is provided between the variable temperature chamber and the thawing chamber; the thawing plate can move along the slide rail between the variable temperature chamber and the thawing chamber.

9. The refrigerator according to claim 8, characterized in that, The defrosting system includes a compressor, a condenser, a defrosting valve, a dryer filter, a condenser coil, and a refrigeration and freezing assembly; The compressor, connected to the condenser and the refrigeration and freezing assembly, is used to compress the low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant received from the refrigeration and freezing assembly into a high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant. The condenser is connected to the compressor and the defrosting valve respectively, and is used to cool the high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant from the compressor into a medium-temperature liquid refrigerant. The defrosting valve, connected to the dryer filter and the condenser tube, is used to switch to the condenser tube side when the defrosting plate is detected to be inside the defrosting chamber, so that the medium-temperature liquid refrigerant flowing out of the condenser flows into the condenser tube; and to switch to the dryer filter side when the temperature of the food to be defrosted reaches the preset defrosting temperature, so that the medium-temperature liquid refrigerant flowing out of the condenser flows into the dryer filter. The dryer filter is used to dry and filter the refrigerant that needs to flow into the refrigeration and freezing assembly; The condenser is used to defrost the food to be defrosted on the defrosting plate by means of heat dissipation when the defrosting valve is turned on. The refrigeration and freezing assembly is used to refrigerate the refrigerator compartment and the freezer compartment.

10. The refrigerator according to claim 9, characterized in that, The condenser tube is a serpentine condenser tube; the serpentine condenser tube is laid flat in the defrosting chamber.

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