Refrigerator and control method thereof

Abstract

The application provides a refrigerator and a control method thereof. The control method comprises the following steps: determining a target temperature of a storage space of the refrigerator; determining a heat source of the storage space according to the target temperature, the heat source being selected from a refrigeration airflow generated by a refrigeration system of the refrigerator during refrigeration and a heating airflow generated by an oxygen treatment device of the refrigerator during oxygen treatment; and providing the heat source to the storage space, so that the storage space reaches or approaches the target temperature. According to the scheme of the application, the heat generated by the oxygen treatment device is reasonably utilized, the energy efficiency of the refrigerator is improved, and the design is very ingenious.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to food preservation technology, and in particular to a refrigerator and its control method. Background Technology

[0002] Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) technology improves the preservation of stored goods by altering the gas composition within the storage space. The oxygen content is one of the key indicators affecting the preservation of most everyday stored goods. Oxygen treatment devices can be used to regulate the oxygen content within the storage space.

[0003] However, the inventors recognized that the oxygen processing device generates heat during oxygen processing. If this heat is not utilized and allowed to flow freely, it will cause the temperature of the storage space to rise, reducing the preservation effect of the storage space. To compensate for the temperature rise caused by the heat dissipation of the oxygen processing device, the refrigerator needs to provide more cooling to the storage space, which will increase the refrigerator's energy consumption and reduce energy efficiency.

[0004] The information disclosed in this background section is only intended to enhance the understanding of the background technology of this application, and therefore may include prior art that is not known to those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0005] One object of the present invention is to overcome at least one technical defect in the prior art and to provide a refrigerator.

[0006] A further objective of this invention is to make efficient use of the heat generated by the oxygen treatment device to improve the energy efficiency of the refrigerator.

[0007] Another further objective of this invention is to provide a suitable storage environment for certain special ingredients and improve the preservation performance of the refrigerator.

[0008] Another further objective of the present invention is to simplify the structure of the refrigerator and enable the reuse of the oxygen processing device.

[0009] Another further objective of this invention is to improve the utilization rate of the refrigerator's storage space and reduce or avoid space waste.

[0010] In particular, according to one aspect of the present invention, a method for controlling a refrigerator is provided, comprising: determining a target temperature of a storage space of the refrigerator; determining a heat source for the storage space based on the target temperature, the heat source being selected from a cooling airflow generated by the refrigerator's refrigeration system during refrigeration and a heating airflow generated by the refrigerator's oxygen processing device during oxygen processing; and providing the heat source to the storage space so that the storage space reaches or approaches the target temperature.

[0011] Optionally, if the heat source for the storage space is determined to be a heating airflow, before providing the heat source to the storage space, the method further includes: determining the target oxygen quantity of the storage space; determining the operating mode of the oxygen treatment device based on the target oxygen quantity; and configuring the oxygen treatment device according to the operating mode.

[0012] Optionally, in the step of determining the operating mode of the oxygen treatment device based on the target oxygen quantity, the operating mode of the oxygen treatment device includes a deoxygenation heating mode and a standalone heating mode. In the deoxygenation heating mode, the oxygen treatment device is used to consume the oxygen in the storage space and generate heat. In the standalone heating mode, the oxygen treatment device is used to generate heat only without treating oxygen.

[0013] Optionally, the step of determining the working mode of the oxygen treatment device based on the target oxygen quantity includes: determining whether the target oxygen quantity is lower than a first preset value; if so, determining the working mode of the oxygen treatment device as the deoxygenation and heating mode.

[0014] Optionally, the working mode of the oxygen treatment device also includes an oxygen production and heating mode, in which the oxygen treatment device is used to increase the oxygen in the storage space and generate heat; and the step of determining the working mode of the oxygen treatment device according to the target oxygen quantity further includes: if the target oxygen quantity is not lower than a first preset value, determining whether the target oxygen quantity is higher than a second preset value, wherein the second preset value is greater than the first preset value; if yes, then the working mode of the oxygen treatment device is determined to be the oxygen production and heating mode; if no, then the working mode of the oxygen treatment device is determined to be the standalone heating mode.

[0015] Optionally, after providing a heat source to the storage space, the method further includes: detecting the actual oxygen level in the storage space; determining whether the actual oxygen level reaches the target oxygen level; and if so, adjusting the operating mode of the oxygen treatment device.

[0016] Optionally, the steps for determining the target temperature of the refrigerator's storage space include: obtaining information about the items in the storage space; and determining the target temperature of the storage space based on the information about the items in the storage space.

[0017] Optionally, the step of determining the heat source of the storage space based on the target temperature includes: obtaining multiple preset temperature ranges, each temperature range corresponding to a suitable heat source; and determining the heat source of the storage space based on the temperature range to which the target temperature belongs.

[0018] Optionally, the step of determining the heat source of the storage space based on the target temperature includes: determining whether the target temperature is lower than a preset temperature threshold; if so, determining the heat source as a cooling airflow; if not, determining the heat source as a heating airflow.

[0019] According to another aspect of the present invention, a refrigerator is also provided, which has a refrigeration system and an oxygen processing device, and includes: a processor and a memory, wherein the memory stores a machine-executable program, which, when executed by the processor, is used to implement the control method according to any one of the above.

[0020] The refrigerator and its control method of the present invention determine the target temperature of the storage space and determine the heat source of the storage space based on the target temperature. The heat source can be selected from the cooling airflow generated by the refrigeration system during cooling and the heating airflow generated by the oxygen treatment device during oxygen processing. Thus, the heat generated by the oxygen treatment device can be used to regulate the temperature of the storage space, so that the heat generated by the oxygen treatment device is no longer a "burden" on the refrigerator. Based on the solution of the present invention, the rational use of the heat generated by the oxygen treatment device is beneficial to improving the energy efficiency of the refrigerator, demonstrating a very ingenious design.

[0021] Furthermore, in the refrigerator and control method of the present invention, when the heating airflow generated by the oxygen treatment device during oxygen treatment is provided to the storage space, the heat generated by the oxygen treatment device can be used to increase the temperature of the storage space, making the temperature of the storage space higher than the conventional refrigeration temperature. This makes the storage space suitable for storing certain low-temperature sensitive foods, and the refrigerator can provide a suitable storage environment for these low-temperature sensitive foods. This is equivalent to expanding the storage temperature range of the refrigerator, which is beneficial to improving the preservation performance of the refrigerator.

[0022] Furthermore, the refrigerator and its control method of the present invention can both process the oxygen inside the refrigerator using an oxygen treatment device and regulate the temperature of the storage space inside the refrigerator. By simply installing an oxygen treatment device inside the refrigerator, the refrigerator can obtain the modified atmosphere preservation function and the temperature zone expansion function without the need for other adjustment devices. Therefore, based on the solution of the present invention, it is beneficial to simplify the structure of the refrigerator and realize the functional reuse of the oxygen treatment device.

[0023] Furthermore, in the refrigerator and control method of the present invention, since the storage space can selectively receive the cooling airflow generated by the refrigeration system during refrigeration and the heating airflow generated by the oxygen processing device during oxygen processing, the temperature of the storage space can be targeted and adjusted in a targeted manner. This allows the storage space to flexibly change the storage temperature according to the user's actual storage needs, which can improve the utilization rate of the storage space and avoid the storage space being idle and wasted due to the user not storing certain food items temporarily.

[0024] 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

[0025] 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:

[0026] Figure 1 This is a schematic block diagram of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 2 This is an internal structural diagram of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 3 This is a schematic structural diagram of an oxygen treatment device for a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 A schematic exploded view of the oxygen handling unit of the refrigerator shown;

[0030] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a refrigerator control method according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 6 This is a control flowchart of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0032] Figure 1 This is a schematic block diagram of a refrigerator 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The refrigerator 10 has a refrigeration system 200 and an oxygen processing device 300, and generally may include a processor 410 and a memory 420. The processor 410 and the memory 420 may be integrated into the control device of the refrigerator 10.

[0033] The memory 420 stores a machine-executable program 421, which, when executed by the processor 410, implements the control method of the refrigerator 10 according to any of the following: The processor 410 may be a central processing unit (CPU), a digital processing unit (DSP), etc. The memory 420 is used to store the program executed by the processor 410. The memory 420 may be any medium capable of carrying or storing desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and accessible by a computer, but is not limited thereto. The memory 420 may also be a combination of various types of memory. Since the machine-executable program 421, when executed by the processor 410, implements the various processes of the following method embodiments and achieves the same technical effects, it will not be described again here to avoid repetition.

[0034] Figure 2This is an internal structural diagram of a refrigerator 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The refrigerator 10 of this embodiment may further include a cabinet 110.

[0035] The interior of the box 110 has one or more storage spaces 112 for storing items, such as food.

[0036] The refrigeration system 200 can be a conventional compression refrigeration system, which typically includes a compressor, condenser, throttling device, and evaporator. The refrigeration system 200 is used to generate a cooling airflow during refrigeration, which is provided to the storage space 112 to lower the temperature of the storage space 112. During operation, the refrigeration system 200 performs refrigeration; the refrigerant absorbs heat and evaporates as it flows through the evaporator, and the air flowing through the evaporator forms a cooling airflow. Of course, the refrigeration system 200 can also be other refrigeration systems used to generate cooling capacity. The refrigerator 10 can be a frost-free refrigerator, but is not limited to this.

[0037] The oxygen treatment device 300 can selectively communicate with any storage space 112 via airflow. For example, it can be installed inside the storage space 112 to treat the oxygen in that storage space 112, such as increasing or decreasing the oxygen content in the storage space 112. Alternatively, the airflow communication between the oxygen treatment device 300 and the storage space 112 can be changed to indirect communication via pipes or ducts. When the oxygen treatment device 300 is in airflow communication with the storage space 112, it can consume oxygen from the storage space 112 or supply oxygen to the storage space 112 during oxygen treatment, and can also provide the heat generated during oxygen treatment to the storage space 112. The oxygen treatment device 300 generates heat during oxygen treatment, and the air flowing through it forms a heated airflow.

[0038] Figure 3 This is a schematic structural diagram of an oxygen processing device 300 for a refrigerator 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 yes Figure 3 The diagram shows a schematic exploded view of the oxygen treatment device 300 of the refrigerator 10. The oxygen treatment device 300 can be an electrolysis device that consumes or generates oxygen through an electrochemical reaction. For example, the oxygen treatment device 300 generally includes a housing 310, a cathode 322, and an anode 321. The cathode 322 and anode 321 are plate-shaped electrodes. The housing 310 has an assembly opening, and the cathode 322 is disposed at the assembly opening to define an electrolysis chamber 312 for holding electrolyte, together with the housing 310. The anode 321 and cathode 322 are disposed spaced apart within the electrolysis chamber 312.

[0039] For example, the cathode 322 can be used to connect to the negative terminal of a power supply, where oxygen in the air can undergo a reduction reaction: O2 + 2H2O + 4e - →4OH - The anode portion 321 can be electrically connected to the positive terminal of a power supply, and the cathode portion 322 generates OH... - An oxidation reaction can occur at the anode 321, generating oxygen, i.e.: 4OH⁻ - →O2 + 2H2O + 4e - Anode 321 utilizes OH... - While the electrochemical reaction is taking place, reactants, such as electrons (e), are also supplied to the cathode 322. - .

[0040] Of course, the structure of the oxygen treatment device 300 and the means of treating oxygen are not limited thereto. Based on the understanding of the embodiments of this disclosure, those skilled in the art should be able to readily extend the technical solutions of these embodiments to refrigerators 10 that have other types of oxygen treatment devices (e.g., oxygen regulating devices that adjust oxygen content based on the principle of oxygen enrichment membranes or the principle of adsorption-desorption).

[0041] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a control method for a refrigerator 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The control method generally includes the following steps:

[0042] Step S502: Determine the target temperature of the storage space 112 of the refrigerator 10. The target temperature of the storage space 112 refers to the temperature to which the storage space 112 will be adjusted, which can be a temperature point or a temperature range. For example, the target temperature of the storage space 112 can be any temperature point or temperature range within the temperature range of 1~9℃, 10~15℃, or below 0℃.

[0043] The storage space 112 in this embodiment can refer to a storage space 112 that is in airflow communication with the oxygen processing device 300 and can receive the cooling airflow generated by the cooling system 200. Furthermore, the number of storage spaces 112 in this embodiment can be one or more. For the sake of clearer description of the embodiment, the storage space 112 mentioned in the following embodiments can specifically refer to a particular storage space 112.

[0044] Step S504: Determine the heat source for the storage space 112 based on the target temperature. The heat source is selected from the cooling airflow generated by the refrigeration system 200 of the refrigerator 10 during refrigeration and the heating airflow generated by the oxygen processing device 300 of the refrigerator 10 during oxygen processing. Determining the heat source for the storage space 112 based on the target temperature means configuring the heat source for the storage space 112 according to the magnitude of the target temperature.

[0045] For example, when the target temperature of the storage space 112 is low, its heat source can be a cooling airflow, which can lower the temperature of the storage space 112 to reach or approach the target temperature. When the target temperature of the storage space 112 is high, its heat source can be the aforementioned heating airflow, which can raise the temperature of the storage space 112 to reach or approach the target temperature.

[0046] Step S506: Provide a heat source to the storage space 112 to bring it to or near the target temperature. Providing a heat source to the storage space 112 means supplying a cooling or heating airflow to the storage space 112 to regulate its temperature. For example, the temperature of the storage space 112 being close to the target temperature means that the difference between the temperature of the storage space 112 and the target temperature is less than 10% of the target temperature.

[0047] Using the above method, by determining the target temperature of the storage space 112 and determining the heat source of the storage space 112 based on the target temperature, the heat source can be selected from the cooling airflow generated by the refrigeration system 200 during refrigeration and the heating airflow generated by the oxygen treatment device 300 during oxygen treatment. Thus, the heat generated by the oxygen treatment device 300 can be used to regulate the temperature of the storage space 112, so that the heat generated by the oxygen treatment device 300 is no longer a "burden" on the refrigerator 10. Based on the solution of this embodiment, by rationally utilizing the heat generated by the oxygen treatment device 300, the energy efficiency of the refrigerator 10 is improved, and the concept is very ingenious.

[0048] It is worth emphasizing that when faced with a situation where the oxygen treatment device 300 generates heat due to oxygen processing, causing temperature fluctuations in the storage space 112, those skilled in the art would readily think of using cooling airflow to balance the temperature rise caused by the heat generated by the oxygen treatment device 300. However, the solution in this embodiment utilizes the heat generated by the oxygen treatment device 300, turning waste into treasure. This breaks through the constraints of existing technology and provides a new approach to solving the heat generation problem of the oxygen treatment device 300. It also solves several technical problems of the refrigerator 10, such as the difficulty in providing a suitable storage environment for low-temperature sensitive foods due to the single temperature setting of the refrigerator compartment, and the high energy consumption of the refrigerator 10, achieving multiple benefits in one fell swoop.

[0049] Refrigerator 10, as a low-temperature preservation device, provides a low-temperature preservation environment for food storage. Existing refrigerators 10 typically set the temperature of their refrigerator compartment to 1℃~9℃, a temperature range suitable for storing most foods. However, some special foods, such as bananas, pineapples, mangoes, and papayas, are extremely sensitive to low temperatures. If stored below 10℃, they are prone to chilling injury, leading to nutrient loss, or even freezing or spoilage. The inventors recognized that the single temperature setting of the refrigerator compartment in refrigerator 10 might not meet the storage needs of certain special foods.

[0050] In this embodiment, when the oxygen treatment device 300 provides the storage space 112 with the heated airflow generated during oxygen treatment, the heat generated by the oxygen treatment device 300 can raise the temperature of the storage space 112, making the temperature of the storage space 112 higher than the conventional refrigeration temperature. This makes the storage space 112 suitable for storing certain low-temperature sensitive foods, and the refrigerator 10 can provide a suitable storage environment for these low-temperature sensitive foods. This is equivalent to expanding the storage temperature range of the refrigerator 10, which is beneficial to improving the preservation performance of the refrigerator 10.

[0051] Since the oxygen treatment device 300 can both treat the oxygen inside the refrigerator 10 and regulate the temperature of the storage space 112 inside the refrigerator 10, the refrigerator 10 can obtain the modified atmosphere preservation function and the temperature zone expansion function simply by setting the oxygen treatment device 300 inside the refrigerator 10, without the need to set other regulating devices. Therefore, the solution based on this embodiment is beneficial to simplify the structure of the refrigerator 10 and realize the functional reuse of the oxygen treatment device 300.

[0052] Since the storage space 112 can selectively receive the cooling airflow generated by the refrigeration system 200 during refrigeration and the heating airflow generated by the oxygen processing device 300 during oxygen processing, the temperature of the storage space 112 can be targeted and adjusted. This allows the storage space 112 to flexibly change its storage temperature according to the user's actual storage needs, which can improve the utilization rate of the storage space 112 and avoid the storage space 112 being idle and wasted due to the user not storing certain food items temporarily.

[0053] In some optional embodiments, when the heat source for the storage space 112 is determined to be a heating airflow, the control method further includes, before providing heat to the storage space 112: determining the target oxygen quantity of the storage space 112, determining the operating mode of the oxygen treatment device 300 based on the target oxygen quantity, and configuring the oxygen treatment device 300 according to the operating mode so that the oxygen treatment device 300 operates according to the operating mode after startup. The target oxygen quantity of the storage space 112 refers to the target oxygen environment to which the storage space 112 will be adjusted. For example, oxygen concentration can be used to characterize the oxygen quantity. The target oxygen quantity of the storage space 112 can refer to the oxygen concentration to which the storage space 112 will be adjusted. Of course, the method of characterizing the target oxygen quantity is not limited to this. The operating mode of the oxygen treatment device 300 refers to the operating mode in which the oxygen treatment device 300 will operate.

[0054] The operating mode of the oxygen treatment device 300 is set to correspond to the target oxygen quantity. After determining the operating mode of the oxygen treatment device 300 according to the target oxygen quantity, when the oxygen treatment device 300 operates in the operating mode, the actual oxygen quantity in the storage space 112 can reach or approach the target oxygen quantity. For example, the actual oxygen quantity in the storage space 112 approaching the target oxygen quantity means that the difference between the oxygen quantity in the storage space 112 and the target oxygen quantity is less than 10% of the target oxygen quantity.

[0055] The oxygen treatment device 300 is configured according to the working mode, which allows the oxygen treatment device 300 to adjust the oxygen content of the storage space 112 according to the target oxygen quantity, and to adjust the temperature of the storage space 112 according to the target temperature, so that the oxygen treatment device 300 can take into account both the temperature regulation needs and the oxygen regulation needs of the storage space 112.

[0056] In some optional embodiments, in the step of determining the operating mode of the oxygen treatment device 300 based on the target oxygen quantity, multiple operating modes of the oxygen treatment device 300 may be preset. For example, the operating modes of the oxygen treatment device 300 may include a deoxygenation heating mode and a standalone heating mode. In the deoxygenation heating mode, the oxygen treatment device 300 consumes the oxygen in the storage space 112 and generates heat. In the standalone heating mode, the oxygen treatment device 300 only generates heat without treating oxygen. Determining the operating mode of the oxygen treatment device 300 based on the target oxygen quantity means determining which operating mode the oxygen treatment device 300 should start operating in according to the magnitude of the target oxygen quantity.

[0057] For example, when the target oxygen level is low, the operating mode of the oxygen treatment device 300 determined based on the target oxygen level can be a deoxygenation heating mode. When the target oxygen level is substantially the same as the oxygen content in the air, the operating mode of the oxygen treatment device 300 determined based on the target oxygen level can be a standalone heating mode. In some optional embodiments, when the target oxygen level is high, the operating mode of the oxygen treatment device 300 determined based on the target oxygen level can be the following oxygen-generating heating mode.

[0058] Using the above method, the working mode of the oxygen treatment device 300 can be flexibly selected based on the target oxygen amount of the storage space 112, which can improve the modified atmosphere preservation performance of the refrigerator 10 and allow the oxygen treatment device 300 to appropriately adjust the oxygen amount of the storage space 112 while generating heat.

[0059] In some optional embodiments, the step of determining the operating mode of the oxygen treatment device 300 based on the target oxygen quantity includes: determining whether the target oxygen quantity is lower than a first preset value; if so, determining that the operating mode of the oxygen treatment device 300 is the deoxygenation heating mode.

[0060] In the deoxygenation heating mode, the cathode part 322 of the oxygen treatment device 300 is connected to the storage space 112 by airflow and is used to consume the oxygen content of the storage space 112 through an electrochemical reaction.

[0061] The oxygen treatment device 300 may have an exhaust port 314 on its housing 310 for discharging oxygen generated by the anode section 321. The refrigerator 10 may further include a separation compartment 500 and a gas guiding assembly 600. The gas guiding assembly 600 has an inlet end, a first outlet end, and a second outlet end. The inlet end communicates with the exhaust port 314, the first outlet end communicates with another storage space 112 requiring oxygenation and guides the oxygen flowing out of the exhaust port 314 to that storage space 112, and the second outlet end communicates with the external environment of the refrigerator 10 and guides the oxygen flowing out of the exhaust port 314 to the external environment. The gas guiding assembly 600 includes a gas guiding switch valve 610, a first outlet conduit 620, and a second outlet conduit 630. The gas guiding switch valve 610 has a gas guiding inlet interface, a first gas guiding valve port, and a second gas guiding valve port. The gas guiding inlet interface is connected to the exhaust port 314 and serves as the inlet end. The first vent pipe 620 and the second vent pipe 630 are respectively connected to the first vent valve port and the second vent valve port. The first vent pipe 620 extends from the first vent valve port to the storage space 112 that needs oxygenation, and its end serves as the first vent end. The second vent pipe 630 extends from the second vent valve port to the external environment of the refrigerator 10, and its end serves as the second vent end.

[0062] The separation chamber 500 has an air inlet and an air outlet, wherein the air inlet is connected to the exhaust port 314, and an arc-shaped airflow channel is formed inside the separation chamber 500 to allow the oxygen flowing through it to flow along the curved surface, thereby separating the liquid carried by the oxygen. The air outlet is connected to the air inlet interface to discharge the oxygen after liquid separation to the air inlet interface. In the deoxygenation heating mode, the oxygen generated by the anode 321 of the oxygen treatment device 300 can flow sequentially through the separation chamber 500 and the air guide assembly 600, and be transported to the storage space 112 or the external environment of the refrigerator 10 that requires oxygenation.

[0063] In some optional embodiments, if the target oxygen level in the storage space 112 is not lower than a first preset value, the operating mode of the oxygen treatment device 300 can be determined as a standalone heating mode. In standalone heating mode, the oxygen treatment device 300 performs its heat generation function without affecting the oxygen content in the storage space 112.

[0064] In standalone heating mode, the anode 321 of the oxygen treatment device 300 can be electrically connected to the negative terminal of the power supply, and the cathode 322 can be electrically connected to the positive terminal of the power supply, so that the anode 321 and cathode 322 can only generate heat and not undergo an electrochemical reaction. Of course, the way in which the oxygen treatment device 300 generates heat without undergoing an electrochemical reaction is not limited to the example above.

[0065] For example, the oxygen treatment device 300 can be installed inside the storage space 112, and the side of the cathode 322 facing the storage space 112 can be in contact with oxygen in the air. When the operating mode of the oxygen treatment device 300 is determined to be the deoxygenation heating mode, the cathode 322 is configured to be electrically connected to the negative terminal of the power supply, and the anode 321 is configured to be electrically connected to the positive terminal of the power supply. In this case, after the oxygen treatment device 300 is started, it can operate in the deoxygenation heating mode. When the operating mode of the oxygen treatment device 300 is determined to be the standalone heating mode, the cathode 322 is configured to be electrically connected to the positive terminal of the power supply, and the anode 321 is configured to be electrically connected to the negative terminal of the power supply. In this case, after the oxygen treatment device 300 is started, it can operate in the standalone heating mode.

[0066] In some optional embodiments, the oxygen treatment device 300 also includes an oxygen production and heating mode, in which the oxygen treatment device 300 increases the oxygen in the storage space 112 and generates heat. That is, the oxygen treatment device 300 can be preset with three operating modes: deoxygenation and heating mode, standalone heating mode, and oxygen production and heating mode, and any one of these operating modes can be selectively selected as the desired operating mode.

[0067] In the oxygen-generating and heating mode, the exhaust port 314 of the oxygen treatment device 300 is in airflow communication with the storage space 112 and is used to transport the oxygen generated by the anode section 321 to the storage space 112, thereby increasing the oxygen content of the storage space 112. In the oxygen-generating and heating mode, the cathode section 322 of the oxygen treatment device 300, which is located in the storage space 112, is not in airflow communication with the storage space 112.

[0068] For example, the oxygen treatment device 300 can have multiple cathode sections 322, one of which can be located inside the storage space 112, while the others can be located outside the storage space 112. In the oxygen production and heating mode, the anode section 321 can form an electrode pair with any of the cathode sections 322 located outside the storage space 112, and an electrolysis voltage can be applied to the electrode pair to carry out an electrochemical reaction.

[0069] In some embodiments, the housing 310 may have multiple mounting ports, one for mounting a cathode portion 322. The storage space 112 may have a communication port connecting to the external environment. A portion of the housing 310 of the oxygen treatment device 300 may be inserted into the communication port, such that one cathode portion 322 is disposed within the storage space 112, while another cathode portion 322 opposite to the cathode portion 322 disposed within the storage space 112 is disposed outside the storage space 112.

[0070] In some optional embodiments, the step of determining the working mode of the oxygen treatment device 300 based on the target oxygen quantity further includes: if the target oxygen quantity is not lower than a first preset value, determining whether the target oxygen quantity is higher than a second preset value, and if the second preset value is greater than the first preset value, then determining that the working mode of the oxygen treatment device 300 is an oxygen production and heating mode; otherwise, determining that the working mode of the oxygen treatment device 300 is a standalone heating mode.

[0071] In some optional embodiments, if the heat source of the storage space 112 is determined to be a cooling airflow, the step of providing a heat source to the storage space 112 may include: activating the cooling system 200 to cool the space and allowing the cooling airflow to flow into the storage space 112. If the heat source of the storage space 112 is determined to be a heating airflow, the step of providing a heat source to the storage space 112 may include: activating the oxygen treatment device 300 to heat the space and allowing the heating airflow to flow into the storage space 112. For example, the oxygen treatment device 300 can be activated by electrically connecting its cathode 322 and anode 321 to a power source to form an electrical circuit.

[0072] In some embodiments, the storage space 112 may be formed within a storage container. The storage container may be disposed within the storage compartment of the refrigerator and is a sealed container. When a cooling airflow circulates within the storage compartment, cooling capacity can be provided to the storage container through heat conduction, thereby reducing the temperature of the storage space 112.

[0073] Once the temperature of the storage space 112 reaches the target temperature, the supply of heat to the storage space 112 can be stopped, for example, by turning off the cooling system 200 or the oxygen processing device 300.

[0074] In some optional embodiments, after providing a heat source to the storage space 112, the method further includes: detecting the actual oxygen level in the storage space 112, determining whether the actual oxygen level reaches the target oxygen level, and if so, adjusting the operating mode of the oxygen treatment device 300. For example, if the operating mode of the oxygen treatment device 300 is determined to be a deoxygenation heating mode based on the target oxygen level in the storage space 112, after the oxygen treatment device 300 starts operating according to the determined operating mode, if the actual oxygen level in the storage space 112 reaches the target oxygen level, the operating mode of the oxygen treatment device 300 can be adjusted to a standalone heating mode.

[0075] Of course, in other embodiments, when the actual oxygen content of the storage space 112 reaches the target oxygen content, the working mode of the oxygen treatment device 300 may not be adjusted. In this case, under the action of the oxygen treatment device 300, the actual oxygen content of the storage space 112 will be further reduced, and the low-oxygen preservation performance of the storage space 112 will be enhanced.

[0076] In some optional embodiments, the step of determining the target temperature of the storage space 112 of the refrigerator 10 includes: acquiring information about the items in the storage space 112, and determining the target temperature of the storage space 112 based on the information about the items in the storage space 112. The information about the items in the storage space 112 can be input by a user through the human-machine interface of the refrigerator 10. Alternatively, the information about the items in the storage space 112 can be acquired by an image acquisition device of the refrigerator 10, and the information about the items in the storage space 112 can be determined by analyzing the image information of the items captured by the image acquisition device.

[0077] In the step of determining the target temperature of storage space 112 based on the information of items within storage space 112, the determined target temperature of storage space 112 is suitable for storing the items currently stored in storage space 112. For example, after obtaining the information of items within storage space 112, a query command can be sent to a cloud database connected to the refrigerator 10 to obtain the target temperature corresponding to the item information.

[0078] Using the above method, the refrigerator 10 can determine the applicable target temperature based on the item information and create a preservation atmosphere in the storage space 112 suitable for storing the current items, which helps to improve the intelligence level of the refrigerator 10.

[0079] In other embodiments, the target temperature of the storage space 112 can be input by the user through a human-computer interaction interface, which can simplify the data processing of the refrigerator 10 to some extent.

[0080] In some optional embodiments, the step of determining the heat source of the storage space 112 according to the target temperature includes: obtaining a plurality of preset temperature ranges, each temperature range corresponding to a suitable heat source, and determining the heat source of the storage space 112 according to the temperature range to which the target temperature belongs.

[0081] In other words, by pre-setting the mapping relationship between each temperature range and the corresponding heat source, after determining the target temperature of the storage space 112, the appropriate heat source can be determined by querying the above mapping relationship, which has high accuracy and good temperature regulation effect.

[0082] In some alternative embodiments, the step of determining the heat source of the storage space 112 based on the target temperature includes: determining whether the target temperature is lower than a preset temperature threshold; if so, determining that the heat source is a cooling airflow; if not, determining that the heat source is a heating airflow.

[0083] In other words, by setting a preset temperature threshold, after determining the target temperature of the storage space 112, the target temperature is compared with the temperature threshold to determine a suitable heat source. The method is simple and has a good temperature regulation effect.

[0084] Figure 6 This is a control flowchart of a refrigerator 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The control flow generally includes the following steps:

[0085] Step S602: Obtain item information within storage space 112.

[0086] Step S604: Determine the target temperature of the storage space 112 based on the information of the items in the storage space 112.

[0087] Step S606: Obtain multiple preset temperature ranges, each temperature range corresponding to a suitable heat source. The heat source is selected from the cooling airflow generated by the refrigeration system 200 of the refrigerator 10 during refrigeration, and the heating airflow generated by the oxygen processing device 300 of the refrigerator 10 during oxygen processing.

[0088] Step S608: Determine the heat source of storage space 112 according to the temperature range to which the target temperature belongs.

[0089] Step S610: If the heat source of the storage space 112 is determined to be a heating airflow, determine the target oxygen quantity of the storage space 112.

[0090] Step S612: Determine whether the target oxygen quantity is lower than the first preset value. If yes, proceed to step S614; otherwise, proceed to step S616.

[0091] Step S614: Determine the working mode of the oxygen treatment device 300 as the deoxygenation and heating mode.

[0092] Step S616: Determine whether the target oxygen quantity is higher than the second preset value. If the second preset value is greater than the first preset value, proceed to step S618; otherwise, proceed to step S620.

[0093] Step S618: Determine the working mode of the oxygen treatment device 300 as the oxygen production and heating mode.

[0094] Step S620: Determine that the working mode of the oxygen treatment device 300 is the standby heating mode.

[0095] Step S622: Configure the oxygen treatment device 300 according to the working mode.

[0096] Step S624: Provide a heat source to the storage space 112 so that the storage space 112 reaches or approaches the target temperature.

[0097] Step S626: Detect the actual oxygen content in storage space 112.

[0098] Step S628: When the actual oxygen quantity reaches the target oxygen quantity, adjust the working mode of the oxygen treatment device 300.

[0099] Using the above method, by determining the target temperature of the storage space 112 and determining the heat source of the storage space 112 based on the target temperature, the heat source can be selected from the cooling airflow generated by the refrigeration system 200 during refrigeration and the heating airflow generated by the oxygen treatment device 300 during oxygen treatment. Thus, the heat generated by the oxygen treatment device 300 can be used to regulate the temperature of the storage space 112, so that the heat generated by the oxygen treatment device 300 is no longer a "burden" on the refrigerator 10. Based on the solution of this invention, by rationally utilizing the heat generated by the oxygen treatment device 300, the energy efficiency of the refrigerator 10 is improved, demonstrating a very ingenious design.

[0100] 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 method for controlling a refrigerator, comprising: Determine the target temperature of the refrigerator's storage space; The heat source of the storage space is determined based on the target temperature. The heat source is selected from the cooling airflow generated by the refrigerator's refrigeration system during refrigeration and the heating airflow generated by the refrigerator's oxygen processing device during oxygen processing. The heat source is provided to the storage space to bring the storage space to or near the target temperature. If the heat source for the storage space is determined to be the heating airflow, the method further includes, before providing the heat source to the storage space: Determine the target oxygen level in the storage space; The operating mode of the oxygen treatment device is determined based on the target oxygen quantity. Configure the oxygen treatment device according to the described operating mode; In the step of determining the operating mode of the oxygen treatment device based on the target oxygen quantity... The working modes of the oxygen treatment device include deoxygenation heating mode, standby heating mode and oxygen production heating mode. In the deoxygenation heating mode, the oxygen treatment device is used to consume the oxygen in the storage space and generate heat. In the standby heating mode, the oxygen treatment device is used to generate heat without treating oxygen. In the oxygen production heating mode, the oxygen treatment device is used to increase the oxygen in the storage space and generate heat. The steps for determining the operating mode of the oxygen treatment device based on the target oxygen quantity include: Determine whether the target oxygen level is lower than a first preset value; If so, then the working mode of the oxygen treatment device is determined to be the deoxygenation and heating mode; If the target oxygen quantity is not lower than the first preset value, it is determined whether the target oxygen quantity is higher than the second preset value, and the second preset value is greater than the first preset value; If so, then the working mode of the oxygen processing device is determined to be the oxygen production and heating mode; If not, then the operating mode of the oxygen processing device is determined to be the standby heating mode.

2. The control method according to claim 1, wherein, After providing the heat source to the storage space, the method further includes: Detect the actual oxygen level in the storage space; Determine whether the actual oxygen quantity reaches the target oxygen quantity; If so, adjust the operating mode of the oxygen treatment device.

3. The control method according to claim 1, wherein, The steps for determining the target temperature of the refrigerator's storage space include: Obtain information about the items within the storage space; The target temperature of the storage space is determined based on the information of the items within the storage space.

4. The control method according to claim 1, wherein, The step of determining the heat source of the storage space based on the target temperature includes: Multiple preset temperature ranges are obtained, and each temperature range is provided with a suitable heat source. The heat source of the storage space is determined based on the temperature range to which the target temperature belongs.

5. The control method according to claim 1, wherein, The step of determining the heat source of the storage space based on the target temperature includes: Determine whether the target temperature is lower than a preset temperature threshold; If so, then the heat source is determined to be the cooling airflow; If not, then the heat source is determined to be the heating airflow.

6. A refrigerator comprising a refrigeration system and an oxygen processing device, and further comprising: A processor and a memory, wherein the memory stores a machine-executable program, which, when executed by the processor, is used to implement the control method according to any one of claims 1-5.

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