Refrigerating and freezing appliance and control method thereof

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of refrigeration and freezing, and particularly relates to a refrigeration and freezing device and a control method thereof. The refrigeration and freezing device comprises: a cabinet, which is internally defined with a storage compartment for storing articles, a maturation compartment for maturing to-be-matured articles, and a refrigeration air duct for providing a cooling air flow, the refrigeration air duct being configured to selectively communicate with the storage compartment and / or the maturation compartment; and an internal circulation fan, which is configured to controllably promote circulation of the air flow in the maturation compartment to flow over the surface of the to-be-matured articles. The present application simultaneously performs refrigeration on the storage compartment and the maturation compartment by using the refrigeration air duct of the refrigeration and freezing device, thereby avoiding the problems of high cost and high energy consumption caused by mounting a refrigeration circulation device dedicated to the maturation compartment, while ensuring that the maturation compartment always has a suitable temperature and a maturation environment with continuous air supply, improving the utilization rate of the cooling air, and reducing energy consumption.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of refrigeration and freezing technology, and in particular to a refrigeration and freezing apparatus and its control method. Background Technology

[0002] With the continuous improvement of people's living standards, the demand for aged foods, which are highly nutritious and have excellent taste, is increasing. The aging process of food has high requirements for environmental temperature, humidity, and surface wind speed. Typically, meat aging requires a temperature control between 0 and 4°C, a humidity control between 50% and 90%, and a surface wind speed control between 0.5 m / s and 2 m / s. The applicant recognizes that existing refrigeration and freezing systems with aging chambers generally require dedicated refrigeration circulation devices for temperature control within the aging chamber, as well as air blowers installed inside for continuous airflow. This not only occupies a large volume but also incurs high costs. Furthermore, the air blowers located inside the aging chamber generate significant noise and pose a risk of accidental injury to users, resulting in a poor user experience. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of the above problems, a refrigeration and freezing apparatus and its control method are proposed to overcome or at least partially solve the above problems.

[0004] One objective of the first aspect of the present invention is to provide a refrigeration and freezing apparatus having a aging function, both the storage environment and the aging environment having suitable temperatures, and continuous air supply within the aging environment.

[0005] A further objective of the first aspect of the present invention is to optimize the internal structure and improve the space utilization rate inside the curing room.

[0006] The second aspect of the present invention is to provide a control method for the above-described refrigeration and freezing apparatus.

[0007] According to a first aspect of the present invention, a refrigeration and freezing apparatus is provided, comprising:

[0008] The enclosure includes a storage compartment for storing items, a aging compartment for aging materials therein, and a cooling duct for providing cooling airflow, the cooling duct being configured to selectively communicate with the storage compartment and / or the aging compartment; and

[0009] An internal circulation fan is configured to controllably circulate airflow within the curing chamber over the surface of the material to be cured.

[0010] Optionally, the refrigeration air duct is connected to the storage compartment via a first air supply duct and to the ripening compartment via a second air supply duct; and the refrigeration and freezing unit further includes:

[0011] A refrigeration fan is configured to controllably introduce cooling airflow from the refrigeration duct into a storage compartment via a first air supply duct, and / or introduce cooling airflow from the refrigeration duct into a maturation compartment via a second air supply duct.

[0012] Optionally, the aging chamber has an aging air outlet that allows external airflow to flow into it, and the aging air outlet is configured to selectively connect to or disconnect from a second air supply duct.

[0013] Optionally, the enclosure is further defined with an internal circulation air duct, one end of which is connected to the maturation chamber through an internal circulation return air vent opened on the maturation chamber.

[0014] The other end of the internal circulation duct and the air outlet of the second air supply duct converge to form a junction, which is connected to the mature air supply outlet; and

[0015] A second damper is provided at the junction. The second damper is configured to open or close the airflow outlet of the second air supply duct in a controlled manner, thereby controlling the connection between the curing chamber and the cooling duct.

[0016] Optionally, the internal circulation fan is installed inside the internal circulation duct and located behind the maturation chamber.

[0017] Optionally, a first damper is provided at the airflow outlet of the first air supply duct, and the first damper is configured to controllably open or close the airflow outlet of the first air supply duct, thereby controlling the connection between the storage room and the refrigeration duct.

[0018] Optionally, the aging chamber is located inside the storage room, and the aging chamber also has a refrigeration return air vent that communicates with the storage room to allow airflow from the aging chamber to enter the storage room.

[0019] Optionally, the aging chamber includes a shell, within which a aging cavity is defined for containing the material to be aged;

[0020] The front and bottom plates of the casing are spaced apart from the door and bottom wall of the storage compartment, respectively, to form an airflow channel. The airflow channel is connected to the refrigeration duct through the refrigeration return air duct, so as to allow the airflow from the refrigeration return air inlet and / or the airflow in the storage compartment to return to the refrigeration duct.

[0021] According to a second aspect of the present invention, the present invention also provides a control method for a refrigeration and freezing apparatus according to any of the above embodiments, comprising:

[0022] Obtain the first ambient temperature of the storage room and the second ambient temperature of the aging room; and

[0023] The connection status between the refrigeration duct and the storage compartment, as well as between the refrigeration duct and the aging compartment, and the start and stop of the internal circulation fan are controlled based on the first ambient temperature and the second ambient temperature.

[0024] Optionally, the steps of controlling the continuity between the refrigeration duct and the storage compartment, and between the refrigeration duct and the aging compartment, and the start / stop of the internal circulation fan based on the first ambient temperature and the second ambient temperature include:

[0025] Compare the first ambient temperature with the first preset temperature threshold, and compare the second ambient temperature with the second preset temperature threshold;

[0026] If the first ambient temperature is greater than the first preset temperature threshold and the second ambient temperature is greater than the second preset temperature threshold, then the cooling air duct is controlled to connect to both the storage room and the aging room simultaneously.

[0027] If the first ambient temperature is greater than the first preset temperature threshold and the second ambient temperature is not greater than the second preset temperature threshold, then the cooling air duct is controlled to only connect with the storage room.

[0028] If the first ambient temperature is not greater than the first preset temperature threshold and the second ambient temperature is greater than the second preset temperature threshold, then the cooling air duct is controlled to only connect with the maturation chamber.

[0029] If the first ambient temperature is not greater than the first preset temperature threshold and the second ambient temperature is not greater than the second preset temperature threshold, then the connection between the cooling duct and the storage room and between the cooling duct and the aging room is blocked, and the internal circulation fan is started to promote the airflow circulation in the aging room.

[0030] In addition to a storage compartment for ordinary storage, the refrigeration and freezing apparatus of this invention also features a aging compartment. Users can directly place the food to be aged in the aging compartment, allowing them to prepare aged food at home. Furthermore, this invention configures the aging compartment with a cooling air duct selectively connected to the storage compartment and / or the aging compartment. This allows for selective simultaneous supply of cooling airflow to both the storage and aging compartments to lower their temperatures, supplying cooling airflow only to the storage compartment to lower its temperature, supplying cooling airflow only to the aging compartment to lower its temperature, or stopping the supply of cooling airflow to both compartments. Simultaneously, when the cooling air duct stops supplying cooling airflow to the aging compartment, the internal circulation fan is activated to drive airflow circulation within the aging compartment, thereby ensuring surface airflow velocity in the aging environment. This achieves an optimal aging environment by ensuring a consistently suitable temperature and continuous airflow in the aging compartment, while simultaneously improving cold air utilization and reducing energy consumption.

[0031] Furthermore, the refrigeration duct is connected to the storage compartment via a first air supply duct and to the aging compartment via a second air supply duct. The cooling airflow in the refrigeration duct is introduced into the storage compartment through the first air supply duct and / or into the aging compartment through the second air supply duct using a controlled refrigeration fan. This allows the storage compartment and the aging compartment to share a single refrigeration fan and be supplied with air by two different air supply ducts. This ensures accurate temperature control in both the storage compartment and the aging compartment, while improving the utilization rate of the storage space in the refrigeration and freezing unit and reducing production costs.

[0032] The above and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become more apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of specific embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0033] The following sections will describe some specific embodiments of the invention in detail by way of example and not limitation, with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numerals in the drawings denote the same or similar parts or portions. Those skilled in the art should understand that these drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. In the drawings:

[0034] Figure 1 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a refrigeration and freezing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A magnified view of a portion of section A in the middle;

[0036] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of airflow in a refrigeration duct that is simultaneously connected to a storage room and a aging room according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of airflow in a refrigeration duct that is connected only to a storage room according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of airflow in a refrigeration duct that is connected only to the maturation chamber according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of airflow during internal air circulation in a maturation chamber according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0040] Figure 7 This is a schematic flowchart of a control method for a refrigeration and freezing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0041] To solve at least one of the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention first provides a refrigeration and freezing device 1. Figure 1This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a refrigeration and freezing apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0042] See Figure 1 The refrigeration and freezing apparatus 1 of the present invention includes a housing 10, within which are defined a storage compartment 11 for storing articles, a maturation compartment 12 for maturing articles, and a cooling air duct 13 for providing cooling airflow. The cooling air duct 13 is configured to selectively communicate with the storage compartment 11 and / or the maturation compartment 12. That is, the cooling air duct 13 may communicate with both the storage compartment 11 and the maturation compartment 12 simultaneously, or with only one of the compartments, or not with either compartment.

[0043] In addition to a storage compartment 11 for ordinary storage, the refrigeration and freezing device 1 of the present invention also has a aging compartment 12, in which users can directly place the food to be aged in the aging compartment 12 for aging, so that users can make their own aged food at home. Furthermore, the present invention configures the aging chamber 12 to be selectively connected to the storage chamber 11 and / or the aging chamber 12 via a cooling air duct 13. This allows for selective simultaneous delivery of cooling airflow to both the storage chamber 11 and the aging chamber 12 to simultaneously reduce their temperatures, delivery of cooling airflow only to the storage chamber 11 to reduce its temperature, delivery of cooling airflow only to the aging chamber 12 to reduce its temperature, or cessation of delivery of cooling airflow to both the storage chamber 11 and the aging chamber 12. This ingenious design utilizes the cooling air duct 13 of the refrigeration and freezing apparatus 1 to simultaneously cool both the storage chamber 11 and the aging chamber 12, improving cold air utilization and reducing energy consumption.

[0044] Meanwhile, in order to continuously supply air to the surface of the food to be aged (especially meat), the refrigeration and freezing apparatus 1 of the present invention further includes an internal circulation fan 22, and the internal circulation fan 22 is configured to controllably cause the airflow in the aging chamber 12 to circulate over the surface of the food to be aged. Each time the refrigeration duct 13 stops supplying cooling airflow into the aging chamber 12, the internal circulation fan 22 is turned on to drive the airflow circulation within the aging chamber 12, thus achieving internal airflow circulation in the aging chamber 12. When the refrigeration duct 13 supplies cooling airflow into the aging chamber 12, the surface of the food to be aged already has continuous airflow; therefore, each time the refrigeration duct 13 starts supplying cooling airflow into the aging chamber 12, the internal circulation fan 22 is turned off to avoid excessive surface wind speed in the aging environment. The refrigeration and freezing apparatus 1 of the present invention controls the start and stop status of the internal circulation fan 22 according to the temperature status / cooling status in the maturation chamber 12, thereby ensuring that the maturation chamber 12 always has a suitable ambient temperature and that the maturation chamber 12 always has continuous air supply, thus providing the best maturation environment for the product to be maturated in real time and improving the maturation effect of the product to be maturated.

[0045] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 As shown, the refrigeration air duct 13 of the refrigeration and freezing apparatus 1 of the present invention is connected to the storage compartment 11 via a first air supply duct 14 and to the aging compartment 12 via a second air supply duct 15. The refrigeration and freezing apparatus 1 also includes a refrigeration fan 21 to enhance the outward delivery of cooling airflow within the refrigeration air duct 13. The refrigeration fan 21 is configured to controllably introduce the cooling airflow within the refrigeration air duct 13 into the storage compartment 11 via the first air supply duct 14, and / or introduce the cooling airflow within the refrigeration air duct 13 into the aging compartment 12 via the second air supply duct 15. In other words, when the refrigeration fan 21 is started, the cooling airflow in the refrigeration duct 13 of the present invention can selectively be transported entirely to the storage room 11 through the first air supply duct 14, entirely to the aging room 12 through the second air supply duct 15, a portion to the storage room 11 through the first air supply duct 14 while another portion is transported to the aging room 12 through the second air supply duct 15, or the transport to the storage room 11 and the aging room 12 can be stopped simultaneously.

[0046] The refrigeration duct 13 of the present invention is connected to the storage compartment 11 through the first air supply duct 14 and to the aging compartment 12 through the second air supply duct 15. The cooling airflow in the refrigeration duct 13 is introduced into the storage compartment 11 through the first air supply duct 14 and / or the cooling airflow in the refrigeration duct 13 is introduced into the aging compartment 12 through the second air supply duct 15 by the refrigeration fan 21. This allows the storage compartment 11 and the aging compartment 12 to share a single refrigeration fan 21 and be supplied with air by two different air supply ducts. While ensuring the accuracy of temperature control in the storage compartment 11 and the aging compartment 12, this improves the utilization rate of the storage space of the refrigeration and freezing device 1 and reduces production costs.

[0047] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 As shown, the refrigeration and freezing apparatus 1 of the present invention has an evaporator 40 disposed in the refrigeration duct 13. The evaporator 40 is used to exchange heat with the airflow to form a cooling airflow provided to the storage compartment 11 and / or the aging compartment 12. Specifically, the storage compartment 11 of the present invention is a refrigeration compartment, and the evaporator 40 is a refrigeration evaporator.

[0048] In some embodiments, the housing 10 further defines an internal circulation air duct 16 communicating with the maturation chamber 12. For example... Figure 1 As shown, the internal circulation air ducts 16 are continuously distributed at the bottom and rear of the aging chamber 12. The internal circulation fan 22 is disposed within the internal circulation air ducts 16 and located at the rear of the aging chamber 12. Specifically, the internal circulation air ducts 16 are embedded in the rear area of ​​the refrigeration and freezing unit 1, without occupying aging space, thus increasing the effective working area within the aging chamber 12. In addition, by placing the internal circulation fan 22 within the enclosed internal circulation air ducts 16, the present invention reduces the noise generated by the motor and fan to a certain extent, and eliminates the need for installation inside the aging chamber 12, resulting in an aesthetically pleasing appearance, high safety, and improved user experience.

[0049] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A schematic enlarged view of part A in the middle. Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of airflow in which the refrigeration duct 13 is simultaneously connected to the storage compartment 11 and the aging compartment 12 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of airflow in which the refrigeration duct 13 is connected only to the storage room 11 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0050] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of airflow in which the refrigeration duct 13 is connected only to the maturation chamber 12 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of airflow during internal circulation in the maturation chamber 12 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0051] See Figures 2 to 6The aging chamber 12 has an aging air inlet 121 that allows external airflow to flow into it, an internal recirculation air outlet 122 that communicates with the internal recirculation duct 16, and a cooling air outlet 123 that allows the airflow inside it to dissipate back to the cooling duct 13. In some embodiments, the aging air inlet 121 is configured to selectively communicate with or disconnect from the second air supply duct 15 to control the connection state between the cooling duct 13 and the aging chamber 12.

[0052] Furthermore, one end of the internal circulation air duct 16 is connected to the maturation chamber 12 via the internal circulation return air inlet 122, and the other end of the internal circulation air duct 16 converges with the airflow outlet of the second supply air duct 15 and connects to the maturation supply air inlet 121. A second damper 32 is provided, which is configured to controllably open or close the airflow outlet of the second supply air duct 15, thereby controlling the connection state between the maturation chamber 12 and the refrigeration air duct 13. In other words, the second supply air duct 15 and the internal circulation air duct 16 share a single maturation supply air inlet 121, reducing the number of openings in the maturation chamber 12. On the one hand, this simplifies the structure of the refrigeration and freezing unit 1, reduces its cost, and reduces the area occupied by the air duct structure, which is conducive to the design of the embedded air duct structure; on the other hand, it improves the appearance of the maturation chamber 12 and enhances the user experience.

[0053] Specifically, when the second damper 32 opens, that is, when the airflow outlet of the second air supply duct 15 opens, such as... Figure 3 and Figure 5 As shown, the second air supply duct 15 is connected to the aging air outlet 121, allowing the aging chamber 12 to be connected to the cooling duct 13 via the aging air outlet 121 and the second air supply duct 15. Driven by the cooling fan 21, the cooling airflow in the cooling duct 13 can be smoothly delivered from the cooling air outlet into the aging chamber 12. After blowing over the surface of the material to be aged, it returns to the cooling duct 13 through the cooling return air outlet 123, thereby reducing the ambient temperature in the aging chamber 12 and ensuring the surface air velocity of the material to be aged. When the second damper 32 is closed, that is, the airflow outlet of the second air supply duct 15 is closed, as... Figure 4 and Figure 6 As shown, the cooling airflow in the cooling duct 13 cannot enter the aging chamber 12. At this time, the aging air outlet 121 is only connected to the internal circulation duct 16. Under the action of the internal circulation fan 22, the airflow in the aging chamber 12 circulates between the aging chamber 125 and the internal circulation duct 16, thereby ensuring the surface wind speed of the material to be aged without changing the ambient temperature in the aging chamber 12.

[0054] Furthermore, the internal circulation duct 16 includes an internal circulation return air duct 162 located between the internal circulation return air inlet 122 and the internal circulation fan 22, and an internal circulation supply air duct 161 located between the internal circulation fan 22 and the aging air outlet 121. The internal circulation return air duct 162 is semi-enclosedly distributed below and behind the aging chamber 12, while the internal circulation supply air duct 161 is located behind the aging chamber 12. In other words, the entire internal circulation duct 16 does not occupy the space of the aging chamber 12, increasing the effective working area within the aging chamber 12 and improving the user experience.

[0055] In some specific embodiments, the aging chamber 12 includes a housing 124, within which a aging cavity 125 is defined for accommodating the material to be aged. For example... Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the aging air inlet 121 is located on the rear top of the housing 124, while the aging air outlet and the cooling return air inlet 123 are located on the front of the housing 124. This design allows the airflow entering the aging chamber 125 from the aging air inlet 121 to flow through the entire aging chamber 125 before exiting through the aging air outlet or the cooling return air inlet 123, maximizing the airflow path within the aging chamber 125 and ensuring that all parts of the material to be aged receive airflow. Preferably, the ventilation areas of the aging air outlet and the cooling return air inlet 123 are substantially the same as those of the aging air inlet 121, achieving a more stable airflow within the aging chamber 125. Furthermore, the geometric center of the aging air outlet and the cooling return air inlet 123 is positioned lower than the geometric center of the aging air inlet 121. In some specific embodiments, the uppermost side of the aging air outlet and the cooling return air outlet 123 are both lower than the uppermost side of the aging air outlet, thereby achieving a more sufficient airflow circulation between the aging space and the external space, further improving the uniformity of air supply in all parts of the aging chamber 125, and ensuring that the material to be aged has a uniform aging effect.

[0056] In some embodiments, the curing chamber 125 is provided with a storage rack for placing the product to be cured. The storage rack has multiple perforated mesh holes, and the storage rack is spaced apart from the bottom wall of the curing chamber 125, so that airflow can simultaneously blow on the upper and lower surfaces of the product to be cured placed on the storage rack, thereby ensuring that the upper and lower surfaces of the product to be cured can achieve the air-drying effect as soon as possible.

[0057] In some embodiments, a first damper 31 is provided at the airflow outlet of the first air supply duct 14, and the first damper 31 is configured to controllably open or close the airflow outlet of the first air supply duct 14, thereby controlling the communication state between the storage compartment 11 and the refrigeration duct 13. Furthermore, an airflow channel 126 is formed within the storage compartment 11, allowing airflow within the storage compartment 11 to return to the refrigeration duct 13 via the refrigeration return air duct 18. In one specific embodiment, a aging compartment 12 is disposed within the storage compartment 11, and the aging compartment 12 includes a housing 124. The front plate and bottom plate of the housing 124 are respectively spaced apart from the door and bottom wall of the storage compartment 11 to form the aforementioned airflow channel 126. Specifically, the cooling return air vent 123 of the aging chamber 12 is provided on the front panel of the housing 124, and the cooling return air vent 123 is connected to the storage chamber 11 so as to allow the airflow in the aging chamber 12 to enter the storage chamber 11 from the cooling return air vent 123, and flow through the airflow channel 126 and the cooling return air channel 18 back to the cooling air channel 13.

[0058] Specifically, when the first damper 31 opens, that is, when the airflow outlet of the first air supply duct 14 opens, such as... Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the first air supply duct 14 is connected to the storage room 11, allowing the storage room 11 to connect with the cooling duct 13 via the first air supply duct 14. Driven by the cooling fan 21, the cooling airflow in the cooling duct 13 can be smoothly delivered to the storage room 11. After flowing through the internal space of the storage room 11, it enters the cooling return air duct 18 through the aforementioned airflow channel 126 and returns to the cooling duct 13, thereby continuously reducing the ambient temperature inside the storage room 11. When the first damper 31 is closed, that is, the airflow outlet of the first air supply duct 14 is closed, such as... Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the cooling airflow in the cooling duct 13 cannot be delivered to the storage room 11, thus stopping the cooling of the storage room 11.

[0059] The following reference Figures 3 to 6 The airflow under four working states of the refrigeration duct 13 is described: it is connected to both the storage room 11 and the aging room 12; it is connected to one of the storage room 11 and the aging room 12; and it is not connected to either the storage room 11 or the aging room 12.

[0060] When both storage compartment 11 and aging compartment 12 require refrigeration, see Figure 3The refrigeration fan 21 is turned on, the internal circulation fan 22 is turned off, and both the first damper 31 and the second damper 32 are opened. At this time, the refrigeration duct 13 is connected to the storage chamber 11 through the first air supply duct 14. Driven by the refrigeration fan 21, the cooling airflow enters the storage chamber 11 from the first air supply duct 14. After flowing through the internal space of the storage chamber 11, it enters the refrigeration return air duct 18 through the aforementioned airflow channel 126 and returns to the refrigeration duct 13, thereby realizing the refrigeration cycle of the storage chamber 11. At the same time, the refrigeration duct 13 is connected to the aging chamber 12 through the second air supply duct 15. Driven by the refrigeration fan 21, the cooling airflow in the refrigeration duct 13 is sent into the aging chamber 12 from the refrigeration air supply port. After blowing over the surface of the material to be aged, it flows from the refrigeration return air port 123 through the airflow channel 126 and the refrigeration return air duct 18 and returns to the refrigeration duct 13, thereby realizing the refrigeration cycle of the aging chamber 12.

[0061] When storage room 11 requires cooling and aging room 12 does not require cooling, see [reference needed]. Figure 4 The refrigeration fan 21 is turned on, the internal circulation fan 22 is turned on, the first damper 31 is opened, and the second damper 32 is closed. At this time, the refrigeration duct 13 is connected to the storage room 11 only through the first supply air duct 14. Driven by the refrigeration fan 21, the cooling airflow enters the storage room 11 from the first supply air duct 14. After flowing through the internal space of the storage room 11, it enters the refrigeration return air duct 18 from the aforementioned airflow duct 126 and returns to the refrigeration duct 13, thereby realizing the refrigeration cycle of the storage room 11. Meanwhile, the cooling air outlet is only connected to the internal circulation air supply duct 161. Driven by the internal circulation fan 22, the airflow in the maturation chamber 125 enters the internal circulation return air duct 162 from the internal circulation return air outlet 122. After flowing through the internal circulation air supply duct 161, it returns to the maturation chamber 125 from the maturation air outlet 121. In other words, the airflow circulates between the maturation chamber 125, the internal circulation return air duct 162, the internal circulation fan 22, and the internal circulation air supply duct 161, thus achieving internal airflow circulation in the maturation chamber 12.

[0062] When storage room 11 does not require refrigeration, but aging room 12 does require refrigeration, see [reference needed]. Figure 5 The refrigeration fan 21 is turned on, the internal circulation fan 22 is turned off, the first damper 31 is closed, and the second damper 32 is opened. At this time, the refrigeration duct 13 is connected to the maturation chamber 12 only through the second air supply duct 15. Driven by the refrigeration fan 21, the cooling airflow in the refrigeration duct 13 is sent into the maturation chamber 12 from the refrigeration air supply port. After blowing over the surface of the material to be matured, it flows from the refrigeration return air port 123 through the airflow channel 126 and the refrigeration return air duct 18 back to the refrigeration duct 13, thereby realizing the refrigeration cycle of the maturation chamber 12.

[0063] When neither storage compartment 11 nor aging compartment 12 requires refrigeration, see Figure 6 The cooling fan 21 is turned off, the internal circulation fan 22 is turned on, and both the first damper 31 and the second damper 32 are closed. At this time, the cooling air outlet is only connected to the internal circulation air supply duct 161. Driven by the internal circulation fan 22, the airflow in the maturation chamber 125 enters the internal circulation return air duct 162 from the internal circulation return air outlet 122. After flowing through the internal circulation air supply duct 161, it returns to the maturation chamber 125 from the maturation air outlet 121. In other words, the airflow circulates between the maturation chamber 125, the internal circulation return air duct 162, the internal circulation fan 22, and the internal circulation air supply duct 161, thus achieving internal airflow circulation in the maturation chamber 12.

[0064] The present invention also provides a control method for the refrigeration and freezing apparatus 1 described in any of the above embodiments. Figure 7 This is a schematic flowchart of a control method for a refrigeration and freezing apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. See also... Figure 7 The control method of the present invention includes:

[0065] Step S702: Obtain the first ambient temperature of the storage room 11 and the second ambient temperature of the aging room 12.

[0066] Step S704: Control the conduction status between the refrigeration duct 13 and the storage room 11, and between the refrigeration duct 13 and the maturation room 12, and the start and stop of the internal circulation fan 22 according to the first ambient temperature and the second ambient temperature.

[0067] Therefore, the control method of the refrigeration and freezing apparatus 1 of the present invention can ensure that the storage compartment 11 always has a suitable temperature, while ensuring that the aging compartment 12 always has a suitable temperature and continuous air supply, thereby simultaneously guaranteeing the storage environment and the aging environment of the food to be aged, and improving the user experience.

[0068] In some embodiments, step S704 may specifically include:

[0069] The system compares a first ambient temperature with a first preset temperature threshold, and a second ambient temperature with a second preset temperature threshold. Specifically, the first preset temperature threshold can be a temperature that ensures different stored items achieve optimal storage results; the value of the first preset temperature threshold may vary for different types of stored items. Similarly, the second preset temperature threshold can be a temperature that ensures the material to be cured achieves the desired curing effect; the value of the second preset temperature threshold may vary for different types of material to be cured.

[0070] If the first ambient temperature is greater than the first preset temperature threshold and the second ambient temperature is greater than the second preset temperature threshold, then the cooling duct 13 is simultaneously connected to both the storage chamber 11 and the aging chamber 12. In other words, when the ambient temperatures in both the storage chamber 11 and the aging chamber 12 are relatively high, meaning both chambers require cooling, the cooling duct 13 can be simultaneously connected to both chambers to deliver cooling airflow, thereby quickly reducing the ambient temperatures in both chambers. The method for controlling the cooling duct 13 to simultaneously connect to both chambers can be: turning on the cooling fan 21, turning off the internal circulation fan 22, and simultaneously opening the first damper 31 and the second damper 32.

[0071] If the first ambient temperature is greater than the first preset temperature threshold and the second ambient temperature is not greater than the second preset temperature threshold, then the cooling duct 13 is controlled to connect only to the storage chamber 11. That is, when the ambient temperature in the storage chamber 11 is relatively high and the ambient temperature in the aging chamber 12 is relatively low (i.e., the storage chamber 11 needs cooling while the aging chamber 12 does not), the cooling duct 13 can be controlled to connect only to the storage chamber 11 and deliver cooling airflow into it, thereby quickly reducing the ambient temperature in the storage chamber 11. Simultaneously, the internal circulation fan 22 is activated to achieve internal airflow circulation in the aging chamber 12, ensuring continuous air supply within the aging chamber 12. The method for controlling the cooling duct 13 to connect only to the storage chamber 11 can be: activating the cooling fan 21, opening the first damper 31, and simultaneously closing the second damper 32.

[0072] If the first ambient temperature is not greater than the first preset temperature threshold and the second ambient temperature is greater than the second preset temperature threshold, then the cooling duct 13 is controlled to connect only to the aging chamber 12. In other words, when the ambient temperature in the storage chamber 11 is relatively low and the ambient temperature in the aging chamber 12 is relatively high—that is, when the storage chamber 11 does not need cooling but the aging chamber 12 does—the cooling duct 13 can be controlled to connect only to the aging chamber 12 and the internal circulation fan 22 can be turned off, thereby quickly reducing the ambient temperature in the storage chamber 11. Specifically, controlling the cooling duct 13 to connect only to the aging chamber 12 can be achieved by: turning on the cooling fan 21, closing the first damper 31, and simultaneously opening the second damper 32.

[0073] If the first ambient temperature is not greater than the first preset temperature threshold and the second ambient temperature is not greater than the second preset temperature threshold, then the connection between the cooling duct 13 and the storage compartment 11, as well as between the cooling duct 13 and the aging compartment 12, is blocked. In other words, when the ambient temperatures in both the storage compartment 11 and the aging compartment 12 are relatively low, meaning neither the storage compartment 11 nor the aging compartment 12 requires cooling, the cooling duct 13 can be controlled to not connect with either the storage compartment 11 or the aging compartment 12. Simultaneously, the internal circulation fan 22 is activated to achieve internal airflow circulation in the aging compartment 12, thereby ensuring continuous air supply within the aging compartment 12. The method for controlling the cooling duct 13 to not connect with either the storage compartment 11 or the aging compartment 12 can be: turning off the cooling fan 21, and simultaneously closing the first damper 31 and the second damper 32.

[0074] In some embodiments, the ambient temperature inside the storage room 11 can be obtained by a temperature sensor installed inside the storage room 11, and the ambient temperature inside the aging room 12 can be obtained by a temperature sensor installed inside the aging chamber 125.

[0075] Those skilled in the art should also understand that the terms "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "top", "bottom", etc., used to indicate orientation or positional relationship in the embodiments of the present invention are based on the actual use state of the refrigeration and freezing device 1. These terms are only for the purpose of describing and understanding the technical solution of the present invention, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or device referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the present invention.

[0076] Therefore, those skilled in the art should recognize that although numerous exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described in detail herein, many other variations or modifications conforming to the principles of the present invention can be directly determined or derived from the disclosure of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, the scope of the present invention should be understood and construed as covering all such other variations or modifications.

Claims

1. A refrigeration and freezing apparatus, comprising: The enclosure includes a storage chamber for storing items, a maturation chamber for maturing items therein, an internal circulation air duct continuously distributed at the bottom and rear of the maturation chamber, and a cooling air duct for providing cooling airflow. The cooling air duct is configured to selectively communicate with the storage chamber via a first air supply duct and / or with the maturation chamber via a second air supply duct. The rear top of the maturation chamber has a maturation air supply port that allows external airflow to flow into it. The front bottom of the maturation chamber has an internal circulation return air port. One end of the internal circulation air duct communicates with the maturation chamber via the internal circulation return air port, and the other end of the internal circulation air duct communicates with the maturation air supply port. An internal circulation fan is installed in the internal circulation duct and configured to controllably cause the airflow in the aging chamber to circulate over the surface of the material to be aged; as well as A refrigeration fan is configured to controllably introduce the cooling airflow in the refrigeration duct into the storage compartment through a first air supply duct, and / or introduce the cooling airflow in the refrigeration duct into the maturation compartment through a second air supply duct.

2. The refrigeration and freezing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The maturation air outlet is configured to selectively connect to or disconnect from the second air supply duct.

3. The refrigeration and freezing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein, The end of the internal circulation duct that connects to the curing air outlet and the airflow outlet of the second air supply duct converge to form a junction; and A second damper is provided at the intersection. The second damper is configured to controllably open or close the airflow outlet of the second air supply duct, thereby controlling the connection between the maturation chamber and the refrigeration duct.

4. The refrigeration and freezing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein, The internal circulation fan is located behind the maturation chamber.

5. The refrigeration and freezing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, A first damper is provided at the airflow outlet of the first air supply duct, and the first damper is configured to controllably open or close the airflow outlet of the first air supply duct, thereby controlling the connection state between the storage room and the refrigeration duct.

6. The refrigeration and freezing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein, The aging chamber is located inside the storage room, and the aging chamber also has a refrigeration return air vent communicating with the storage room to allow airflow from the aging chamber to enter the storage room.

7. The refrigeration and freezing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein, The aging chamber includes a shell, and the shell defines an aging cavity for containing the material to be aged. The front plate and bottom plate of the housing are respectively spaced apart from the door and bottom wall of the storage compartment to form an airflow channel. The airflow channel is connected to the refrigeration duct through a refrigeration return air duct to allow the airflow from the refrigeration return air inlet and / or the airflow in the storage compartment to return to the refrigeration duct.

8. A control method for a refrigeration and freezing apparatus according to any one of claims 1-7, comprising: Obtain the first ambient temperature of the storage room and the second ambient temperature of the aging room; as well as The connection status between the refrigeration duct and the storage room, and between the refrigeration duct and the maturation room, as well as the start and stop of the internal circulation fan, are controlled based on the first ambient temperature and the second ambient temperature.

9. The control method for the refrigeration and freezing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein, The steps of controlling the continuity between the refrigeration duct and the storage compartment, and between the refrigeration duct and the aging compartment, and the start and stop of the internal circulation fan based on the first ambient temperature and the second ambient temperature include: Compare the first ambient temperature with the first preset temperature threshold, and compare the second ambient temperature with the second preset temperature threshold; If the first ambient temperature is greater than the first preset temperature threshold and the second ambient temperature is greater than the second preset temperature threshold, then the cooling duct is controlled to connect simultaneously with the storage room and the aging room. If the first ambient temperature is greater than the first preset temperature threshold and the second ambient temperature is not greater than the second preset temperature threshold, then the cooling duct is controlled to only connect with the storage room. If the first ambient temperature is not greater than the first preset temperature threshold and the second ambient temperature is greater than the second preset temperature threshold, then the cooling duct is controlled to only communicate with the maturation chamber. If the first ambient temperature is not greater than the first preset temperature threshold and the second ambient temperature is not greater than the second preset temperature threshold, then the connection between the refrigeration duct and the storage room, and between the refrigeration duct and the aging room, is blocked, and the internal circulation fan is started to promote the airflow circulation in the aging room.

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