Refrigerator

Abstract

The application discloses a refrigerator, which comprises a cabinet, a first temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, a refrigeration chamber, a refrigeration air duct, an evaporator, a compressor, a vacuum drawer located in the refrigeration chamber, an air supply air duct located above the vacuum drawer and communicated with the refrigeration air duct, a second temperature sensor arranged on the periphery of the vacuum drawer and a controller. The controller judges whether the environment where the refrigerator is located is an extreme environment according to the detection values of the first temperature sensor and the humidity sensor. When the refrigerator is in the extreme environment and the refrigerator is in the refrigeration mode and the vacuum drawer is in the fresh mode, in order to prevent frost from weakening the refrigeration effect of the refrigeration system, the compressor works for a period of time and then stops intermittently according to a preset period. In the process that the compressor stops, the refrigerator performs a defrosting action by utilizing the natural temperature difference between the refrigeration chamber and the evaporator. The refrigeration capacity of the refrigerator and the fresh-keeping capacity of the vacuum drawer under extreme conditions are effectively ensured, food spoilage is prevented, and the use experience of users is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of household refrigerator technology, and more particularly to a refrigerator. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of refrigerators, the functions they offer to users are becoming increasingly diverse. Currently, refrigerators include vacuum drawers, refrigerator compartments, and freezer compartments. Taking vacuum drawers as an example, their applications are expanding, meeting users' needs for preserving fruits and vegetables.

[0003] Because refrigerator operation is easily affected by environmental factors, the refrigerator operates more frequently when the ambient temperature and humidity are high, and less frequently when the ambient temperature and humidity are low. The vacuum drawer occupies a separate air outlet in the cooling duct to maintain its own temperature. When the refrigerator is in a high-temperature, high-humidity environment and the vacuum drawer is in fresh food mode, the refrigerator frequently turns on and off to maintain its preservation effect. This results in the cooling system operating for extended periods, causing frost to form on the evaporator. During the frost-forming process, the cooling system's efficiency decreases, making it difficult for the vacuum drawer to reach sub-zero temperatures. In such cases, the vacuum drawer's preservation ability is compromised.

[0004] In view of this, it is necessary to improve existing refrigerators with vacuum drawers in order to at least solve one of the above problems. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides a refrigerator that, when subjected to extreme conditions of high temperature and high humidity, controls the operation of the refrigeration system to ensure the preservation capability of the vacuum drawer.

[0006] This application provides a refrigerator, which includes:

[0007] The container must at least form a cold storage compartment;

[0008] The refrigeration air duct is located at the rear of the refrigerator compartment;

[0009] Evaporator, which is located inside the refrigeration air duct;

[0010] compressor;

[0011] The first temperature sensor, located on the outside of the refrigerator, is used to detect the ambient temperature of the refrigerator and adjust the refrigerator's operating mode accordingly.

[0012] A humidity sensor, located on the outside of the refrigerator, is used to detect the ambient humidity of the refrigerator and adjust the refrigerator's operating mode accordingly.

[0013] Vacuum drawers, located in the refrigerator compartment, include at least a fresh food mode;

[0014] The air supply duct is located at the top of the vacuum drawer. The air inlet of the air supply duct is connected to one of the air outlets of the cooling duct so as to draw in low-temperature airflow for cooling.

[0015] The controller is configured such that when the temperature value detected by the first temperature sensor and the humidity value detected by the humidity sensor meet the first preset extreme conditions, and the vacuum drawer is in fresh food mode, the compressor will work for a period of time and then stop intermittently according to a preset cycle. During the compressor stoppage, the refrigerator will use the natural temperature difference between the compressor and the refrigerator compartment to perform defrosting.

[0016] In some embodiments, when the temperature value detected by the first temperature sensor and the humidity value detected by the humidity sensor meet the first preset extreme conditions, and the vacuum drawer is in fresh food mode, during the operation of the compressor, the low-temperature airflow in the refrigeration duct is diverted to the air supply duct and the refrigerator compartment in a certain proportion.

[0017] In some embodiments, a second temperature sensor is also included, which is disposed on the outside of the vacuum drawer. The second temperature sensor is used to detect temperature changes during the operation of the vacuum drawer. When the temperature value detected by the first temperature sensor and the humidity value detected by the humidity sensor meet the second preset extreme conditions, and the vacuum drawer is in fresh food mode, the controller determines whether the temperature value detected by the second temperature sensor has reached the preset temperature in fresh food mode. When the temperature value detected by the second temperature sensor reaches the preset temperature, the compressor is forcibly stopped after working for a period of time.

[0018] In some embodiments, the temperature and humidity values ​​of the second preset extreme conditions are lower than those of the first preset extreme conditions.

[0019] In some embodiments, the air inlet of the air supply duct is provided with an air inlet damper, and the air volume of the air supply duct during the operation of the vacuum drawer is changed by adjusting the opening of the air inlet damper.

[0020] In some embodiments, when the temperature value detected by the first temperature sensor and the humidity value detected by the humidity sensor do not meet the second preset extreme conditions, the temperature range of the vacuum drawer temperature value detected by the second temperature sensor is determined. When the vacuum drawer temperature value reaches below the first temperature threshold, the air inlet damper is closed, and air is stopped from being supplied to the air duct. When the vacuum drawer temperature value detected by the second temperature sensor reaches above the second temperature threshold, the air inlet damper opening is adjusted to 100%. Otherwise, the air inlet damper opening is adjusted according to the vacuum drawer temperature value; the higher the vacuum drawer temperature value, the larger the air inlet damper opening.

[0021] In some embodiments, the compressor shutdown time is at least the set defrosting time, so as to ensure that when the refrigerator is in defrosting mode, the amount of frost when the compressor is turned on is less than the amount of defrosting when it is turned off.

[0022] In some embodiments, the preset period is related to the ambient temperature detected by the first temperature sensor, the ambient humidity detected by the humidity sensor, and the vacuum drawer temperature detected by the second temperature sensor.

[0023] In some embodiments, the air supply duct includes at least two air outlets, which are located at both ends of the air supply duct. The low-temperature airflow of the air supply duct flows out through the air outlets and forms a uniform low-temperature air zone around the vacuum drawer, so that the temperature of the vacuum drawer detected by the second temperature sensor reaches the preset temperature.

[0024] In some embodiments, a guide rib is provided in the air supply duct. The guide rib is arranged along the inflow direction of the low-temperature airflow at the air inlet of the air supply duct, and changes the flow direction and flow speed of the low-temperature airflow so that each air outlet flows out a corresponding preset air volume.

[0025] In the above embodiments, a refrigerator is proposed. The refrigerator includes a first temperature sensor and a humidity sensor for detecting ambient temperature and humidity to determine whether the external environment of the refrigerator is under extreme conditions, and thereby control the refrigerator's operating mode. The refrigerator also includes a cabinet that at least defines a refrigerator compartment, a refrigeration duct located at the rear of the refrigerator compartment, an evaporator located within the refrigeration duct, a compressor, a vacuum drawer located in the refrigerator compartment, an air supply duct located at the top of the vacuum drawer, and a controller. The low-temperature airflow from the refrigeration duct flows to the periphery of the vacuum drawer through the air supply duct to maintain the temperature requirement of the vacuum drawer in its fresh-keeping mode. The controller is configured such that when the temperature value detected by the temperature sensor and the humidity value detected by the humidity sensor meet a first preset extreme condition, and the vacuum drawer is in fresh-keeping mode, the compressor operates for a period of time and then intermittently stops according to a preset cycle. During the compressor shutdown process, the refrigerator performs a defrosting action using natural temperature difference. By using intermittent shutdown under extreme conditions, the fresh-keeping ability of the vacuum drawer can be guaranteed while meeting the defrosting requirements. Attached Figure Description

[0026] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of a refrigerator according to some embodiments is shown;

[0027] Figure 2 A partial structural schematic diagram of a refrigerator according to some embodiments is shown;

[0028] Figure 3 A partial exploded view of a refrigerator according to some embodiments is shown;

[0029] Figure 4 Another exploded view of a refrigerator according to some embodiments is shown;

[0030] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the air supply duct according to some embodiments is shown;

[0031] Figure 6 An exploded view of an air supply duct according to some embodiments is shown;

[0032] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the structure of a second air duct component according to some embodiments is shown;

[0033] Figure 8 A structural schematic diagram of a first air duct component according to some embodiments is shown;

[0034] Figure 9 A structural block diagram of a refrigeration system according to some embodiments is shown;

[0035] Figure 10 A flowchart of a defrosting method for a refrigerator under extreme conditions, with the vacuum drawer in fresh food mode, is shown according to some embodiments.

[0036] Figure 11 The timing diagram of the compressor's operation is shown when the ambient temperature and humidity meet the first preset limit conditions.

[0037] Figure 12 The timing diagram of the compressor's operation is shown when the ambient temperature and humidity meet the second preset limit conditions.

[0038] Figure 13 The relationship between the vacuum drawer temperature and the air inlet damper opening is shown when the ambient temperature and humidity do not meet the second preset limit conditions.

[0039] In the attached diagrams above:

[0040] Refrigerator 1; Cabinet 11; Inner liner of refrigerator 2; Vacuum drawer 3;

[0041] 31. Drawer body; 32. Drawer shell; 41. Air guide rib; 4. Air supply duct; 5. Air inlet;

[0042] First air outlet 61; Second air outlet 62; Third air outlet 63; Fourth air outlet 64;

[0043] Thermal insulation material 7; First air duct 42; Second air duct 43; First air duct component 44; Second air duct component 45;

[0044] Compressor 81; Condenser 82; Filter 83; Evaporator 84. Detailed Implementation

[0045] To make the objectives and implementation methods of this application clearer, the exemplary implementation methods of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the exemplary embodiments of this application. Obviously, the exemplary embodiments described are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments.

[0046] It should be noted that the brief descriptions of terms in this application are only for the convenience of understanding the embodiments described below, and are not intended to limit the embodiments of this application. Unless otherwise stated, these terms should be understood in their ordinary and common meaning.

[0047] The terms "first," "second," "third," etc., used in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this application are used to distinguish similar or related objects or entities, and do not necessarily imply a specific order or sequence, unless otherwise specified. It should be understood that such terms are interchangeable where appropriate.

[0048] The terms “include” and “have”, and any variations thereof, are intended to cover but not exclusively include, for example, a product or device that includes a range of components is not necessarily limited to all of the components that are clearly listed, but may include other components that are not clearly listed or that are inherent to such product or device.

[0049] The refrigerator 1 in this application is a multi-system refrigerator 1. An electromagnetic valve is added to the refrigeration cycle of the refrigerator compartment and the freezer compartment so that the refrigerator compartment and the freezer compartment can be separated and refrigerated independently without affecting each other. The refrigerator compartment has a separate evaporator. The frost problem of the evaporator in the refrigerator compartment is solved by this application.

[0050] The refrigeration cycle of refrigerator 1 mainly consists of four processes: compression, condensation, throttling, and evaporation. (Refer to...) Figure 9 The specific components of the refrigeration system are compressor 81, condenser 82, filter 83 and evaporator 84. The refrigeration system provides cooling capacity to the refrigerator compartment, freezer compartment and vacuum drawer 3 through the heat absorption and heat release process of the refrigerant, thereby achieving the refrigeration of the refrigerator 1.

[0051] The compressor 81 compresses the refrigerant gas into a high-temperature and high-pressure state and discharges the compressed refrigerant gas. The discharged refrigerant gas flows into the condenser 82, which condenses the compressed high-temperature and high-pressure liquid refrigerant into liquid refrigerant. The heat is released to the outside of the refrigerator 1 through the condensation process.

[0052] The liquid refrigerant flowing out of the condenser 82 passes through the filter 83. The filter 83 throttles the high-temperature and high-pressure liquid refrigerant condensed in the condenser 82 into a low-pressure and low-temperature liquid refrigerant. The low-temperature and low-pressure liquid refrigerant flows through the evaporator 84, thereby absorbing heat from the cabinet 11 and achieving the purpose of cooling the refrigerator compartment, freezer compartment and vacuum drawer 3.

[0053] This application discloses a refrigerator 1, with reference to... Figure 1-2The refrigerator 1 includes a cabinet 11, the interior of which at least defines a refrigerator compartment and a freezer compartment. An opening is formed at the front end of the cabinet 11, and a door is provided at the opening. One side of the door is hinged to one side of the opening of the cabinet 11.

[0054] The refrigerator body 11 can be configured as a refrigerator inner liner 2, a freezer inner liner, and an outer shell. The refrigerator inner liner 2 surrounds the refrigerator compartment, and the freezer inner liner surrounds the freezer compartment. A cooling air duct is provided between the refrigerator inner liner 2 and the outer shell, and the cooling air duct includes multiple cooling air outlets to meet the cooling needs of different components of the refrigerator 1. An air duct is also provided between the freezer inner liner and the outer shell to regulate the temperature of the refrigerator compartment and the freezer compartment to meet the refrigeration or freezing requirements.

[0055] The refrigerator compartment is equipped with a vacuum drawer 3, which includes at least two working modes: a fresh food mode and a storage mode. The temperature range of the fresh food mode is set below zero degrees Celsius, and the temperature range of the storage mode is set above zero degrees Celsius to meet the different preservation needs of different foods. Specifically, under normal circumstances, the temperature fluctuation range of the vacuum drawer 3 during operation is 0°C-3°C, which is used for the storage of fresh food ingredients.

[0056] In this application, an air supply duct 4 is provided at the top of the vacuum drawer 3. The air inlet 5 of the air supply duct 4 is connected to an air outlet of the refrigeration duct to guide the airflow in the refrigeration duct into the air supply duct 4. When the refrigerator 1 is in refrigeration mode and the vacuum drawer 3 is in fresh food mode, the compressor 81 works, and the airflow in the refrigeration duct exchanges heat with the evaporator 84 to become low-temperature airflow, which cools the refrigerator compartment and the vacuum drawer 3. The air supply duct 4 is provided with at least two air outlets, which are located on both sides of the air supply duct 4. In other words, the air outlets of the ventilation duct are located on both sides of the vacuum drawer 3. For details, refer to... Figure 2-5 The air outlets of the air supply duct 4 are positioned on the left and right sides of the vacuum drawer 3. The low-temperature airflow within the air supply duct 4 flows through the air outlets to the sides of the vacuum drawer 3, forming an airflow zone around the vacuum drawer 3. This prevents the airflow from directly blowing onto the food, thus maintaining its freshness. For example, the air outlets can be set to two, three, four, five, or six, etc. The number is not limited, as long as the air outlet area and location are carefully designed, and the airflow is divided by the guide ribs 41, ensuring equal cooling output from each outlet. The specific number is not limited. For details, refer to... Figure 6-7The air supply duct 4 comprises a first air duct component 44 and a second air duct component 45. The second air duct component 45 is provided with mounting parts, and the corresponding positions of the first air duct component 44 are provided with through holes. The first air duct component 44 and the second air duct component 45 are assembled and connected through the mounting parts and the through holes. The second air duct component 45 has an internal space to accommodate airflow. Air outlets are installed on both sides of the second air duct component 45. The following guide ribs 41 are installed on the first air duct component 44 near the second air duct component 45. When the first air duct component 44 and the second air duct component 45 are engaged, the guide ribs 41 are placed within the space of the second air duct component 45 and partially cut off the space to achieve airflow diversion.

[0057] Meanwhile, the air supply duct 4 is also equipped with guide ribs 41, as shown in the reference. Figure 8 The guide ribs 41 are set along the direction of the low-temperature airflow in the air inlet 5. The guide ribs 41 change the flow direction and flow speed of the low-temperature airflow so that the cooling capacity of each air outlet is evenly distributed. When the vacuum drawer 3 is running in fresh mode, the low-temperature airflow in the refrigeration duct enters the air supply duct 4. When the low-temperature airflow in the air supply duct 4 passes through the guide ribs 41, it is split into two paths and flows out from the air outlets on both sides. One part flows out from the left side of the air supply duct 4 and the other part flows out from the right side of the air supply duct 4, forming a low-temperature air zone with uniform temperature around the vacuum drawer 3, so that the temperature of the vacuum drawer 3 reaches the preset temperature in fresh mode.

[0058] In some embodiments of this application, the air supply duct 4 includes an air inlet 5 and multiple air outlets. The multiple air outlets are located on both sides of the air supply duct 4. The entire air supply duct 4 can completely or partially cover the top of the vacuum drawer 3 to increase the air volume inside the air supply duct 4, thereby improving the efficiency of reducing the temperature of the vacuum drawer 3 and improving the preservation effect of the vacuum drawer 3. Specifically, four air outlets are provided. A first air outlet 61 and a second air outlet 62 are arranged side by side on the side of the air supply duct 4 near the air inlet 5, and a third air outlet 63 and a fourth air outlet 64 are arranged side by side on the side of the air supply duct 4 away from the air inlet 5. The refrigerator 1 also includes a temperature sensor for the first air outlet 61, a temperature sensor for the second air outlet 62, a temperature sensor for the third air outlet 63, and a temperature sensor for the fourth air outlet 64. The temperature sensor for the first air outlet 61 is installed at the position of the first air outlet 61 and is used to detect the temperature of the low-temperature airflow flowing out of the first air outlet 61 in the fresh food mode. The temperature sensor for the second air outlet 62... A temperature sensor is installed at the second air outlet 62 to detect the temperature of the low-temperature airflow exiting from the second air outlet 62 in fresh food mode; a temperature sensor is installed at the third air outlet 63 to detect the temperature of the low-temperature airflow exiting from the third air outlet 63 in fresh food mode; a temperature sensor is installed at the fourth air outlet 64 to detect the temperature of the low-temperature airflow exiting from the fourth air outlet 64 in fresh food mode; the controller receives the temperature values ​​detected by each air outlet temperature sensor and calculates the temperature difference of each air outlet to adjust the opening of the damper of each air outlet. Specifically, the air outlet temperature sensors can be installed at the corresponding air outlet, at the location through which the airflow passes, to accurately measure the temperature value of the side air outlet.

[0059] The temperature adjustment efficiency of the vacuum drawer 3 can be improved by adjusting the air outlet area of ​​each air outlet, thereby reducing the working pressure on the refrigeration system and alleviating the frost formation of the refrigerator 1 under extreme conditions.

[0060] Specifically, refer to Figure 6-8 To facilitate the airflow guiding function of the guide ribs 41, the air supply duct 4 includes a first air duct 42 and a second air duct 43, which are connected. The width of the first air duct 42 is smaller than the width of the second air duct 43. The first, second, third, and fourth air outlets are located on both sides of the second air duct 43. The guide ribs 41 are installed on the plate of the first air duct 42. After assembly, the guide ribs 41 are located in the second air duct 43. The installation direction of the guide ribs 41 is parallel to the direction in which the low-temperature airflow enters the first air duct 42, and the end of the guide ribs 41 near the air inlet 5 extends into the intersection of the first air duct 42 and the second air duct 43, so as to divert the low-temperature airflow entering the first air duct 42 and allow the diverted low-temperature airflow to enter both sides of the second air duct 43.

[0061] It should be noted that the guide rib 41 extends to the other side of the second air duct 43 to prevent the airflow that has been diverted through the end of the guide rib 41 from re-merging, which would cause the airflow direction in the air supply duct 4 to become chaotic and cause the cooling capacity of each air outlet to deviate from the preset state.

[0062] Through the above settings, the airflow distribution effect of the guide ribs 41, combined with the different sizes and positions of the air outlets, ensures that each air outlet delivers a corresponding preset volume of low-temperature airflow. This ensures that the cooling output from each air outlet is equal, resulting in a uniform temperature around the vacuum drawer 3. This allows the vacuum drawer 3 to change temperature evenly, preventing frost buildup. Simultaneously, because the low-temperature airflow blows from both sides of the air duct 4, it reduces the accumulation of low-temperature airflow at the top of the vacuum drawer 3, preventing overcooling at the top and condensation that drips onto the food inside the vacuum drawer 3, thus reducing the freshness of the food.

[0063] In some embodiments of this application, the maximum width of the guide rib 41 is denoted as H1, where H1 ∈ [1, 12], mm.

[0064] It should be noted that, ideally, the width of the guide rib 41 should be as small as possible, because the narrower the width of the guide rib 41, the sharper its front end, which can change the flow rate and direction of the low-temperature airflow and reduce wind resistance. However, in actual working conditions, the actual transportation conditions and the insulation of the vacuum drawer 3 need to be considered. Therefore, the width of the guide rib 41 can be set to about 12mm, and the guide rib 41 can be set as the insulation material 7. For example, the guide rib 41 can be set as foam material.

[0065] In some embodiments of this application, the width of the guide rib 41 gradually increases from the side closer to the air inlet 5 to the side farther away from the air inlet 5 until it remains constant. Specifically, the end of the guide rib 41 closer to the air inlet 5 is the front end, and the direction perpendicular to the front and back is the width direction. The front end of the guide rib 41 is set with an arc-shaped structure to reduce wind resistance and guide the airflow. At the same time, the width of the rear end of the guide rib 41 increases to a certain value and then remains constant, which can improve the overall stability of the guide rib 41.

[0066] In some embodiments of this application, the distance between the guide rib 41 and the edge of the air duct 4 where the first air outlet 61 is provided is denoted as D1, and the distance between the guide rib 41 and the edge of the air duct 4 where the third air outlet 63 is provided is denoted as D2, where D1 < D2. (Refer to...) Figure 8 After the low-temperature airflow from the cooling duct enters the supply air duct 4 through the air inlet 5, it is split at the end of the guide rib 41, and then flows to both sides and out through the corresponding air outlets. When the airflow is split in the supply air duct 4, the airflow velocity in contact with the guide rib 41 increases and the airflow direction changes.

[0067] It should be noted that although there is an arc-shaped auxiliary air duct between the air inlet 5 and the air supply duct 4 in the attached figure, the purpose of this design is to avoid the internal structure of the refrigerator 1. However, this structure is prone to vortex effect. To solve this problem, the air inlet 5 and the air supply duct 4 can be directly connected, and the airflow through the air inlet 5 can directly enter the air supply duct 4. This can also reduce the loss of airflow velocity and improve the heat exchange rate.

[0068] Reference Figure 3 The vacuum drawer 3 includes a drawer body 31 and a drawer shell 32. The drawer shell 32 has a drawer opening on its side near the main opening. The drawer body 31 has a storage area inside. The drawer body 31 moves relative to the drawer shell 32 through the drawer opening to retrieve and place items stored inside. An air duct 4 is located at the top of the drawer shell 32. In this application, the temperature inside the storage area is changed by altering the temperature of the outer periphery of the drawer shell 32. The drawer shell 32 may be composed of a polymer compound.

[0069] In this application, the vacuum drawer 3 includes a vacuum port connected to a vacuum pump for extracting gas from the vacuum drawer 3. This prevents the vegetables and fruits stored in the vacuum drawer 3 from undergoing aerobic respiration, while simultaneously leaving a certain amount of air in the vacuum drawer 3 to inhibit anaerobic respiration, thereby improving the preservation time and effect of the vegetables and fruits. Specifically, the vacuum port is located on the back of the vacuum drawer 3, and the vacuum pump is located on the periphery of the vacuum drawer 3, possibly between the vacuum drawer 3 and the inner liner of the refrigerator compartment 2. The vacuum pump is connected to a controller, which controls the operation of the vacuum pump to perform vacuuming on the vacuum drawer 3. Of course, it is understood that the vacuum port can be located on the side wall or rear top of the vacuum drawer 3, and the vacuum pump can also be located at other positions on the periphery of the vacuum drawer 3. When there is no space inside the inner liner of the refrigerator compartment 2 to install the vacuum pump, the vacuum pump can also be installed inside the vacuum drawer 3.

[0070] In some embodiments of this application, the refrigerator 1 further includes a first air damper, a second air damper, a third air damper, and a fourth air damper. The first air damper is installed at the first air outlet 61 and is used to control the cooling capacity output by the first air outlet 61 in the fresh food mode. The second air damper is installed at the second air outlet 62 and is used to control the cooling capacity output by the second air outlet 62 in the fresh food mode. The third air damper is installed at the third air outlet 63 and is used to control the cooling capacity output by the third air outlet 63 in the fresh food mode. The fourth air damper is installed at the fourth air outlet 64 and is used to control the cooling capacity output from the fourth air outlet 64 in the fresh food mode. The controller controls the opening degree of each air damper according to the temperature difference of each air outlet and according to a preset rule, thereby controlling the actual air volume of each air outlet so that the output cooling capacity of each air outlet is equal, so as to control the uniform low-temperature airflow outside the vacuum drawer 3.

[0071] In some embodiments of this application, a heat-insulating material 7 is provided between the top of the air supply duct 4 and the top of the vacuum drawer 3 to prevent the low-temperature airflow in the air supply duct 4 from directly lowering the temperature of the top of the vacuum drawer 3, causing the temperature of the top of the vacuum drawer 3 to be lower than the temperature of other parts, resulting in condensation that drips onto the food inside the vacuum drawer 3.

[0072] Insulation material 7 is also provided at the bottom of the vacuum drawer 3. The purpose of this is twofold: firstly, to prevent the temperature of the vacuum drawer 3 from being affected by the ambient temperature, which would cause uneven temperature distribution in different parts of the vacuum drawer 3 and affect its preservation effect; secondly, to prevent the temperature of the vacuum drawer 3 from overflowing and affecting its temperature. In extreme cases, it also helps to keep the temperature warm, thereby reducing the loss of cold air from the vacuum drawer 3, reducing the frequency of operation and running time of the refrigeration system, and mitigating frost formation.

[0073] Under extreme conditions of high temperature and humidity, the refrigeration system will frequently start to maintain the cooling demand of all parts inside the refrigerator 1, resulting in longer operating times and causing frost to form on the evaporator 84, thus reducing the overall cooling capacity of the refrigeration system. Normally, the set temperature inside the refrigerator compartment is 5℃, but actual measurements show that the temperature tends to be higher, leading to a higher average temperature in the vacuum drawer 3. Furthermore, the vacuum drawer 3 also uses low-temperature airflow from one of the air outlets in the refrigeration duct for cooling. When the vacuum drawer 3 operates in fresh food mode, excessively high ambient temperature and humidity can also cause the refrigeration system to run continuously, resulting in frost formation.

[0074] Meanwhile, in order to address the condensation issue in the vacuum drawer 3, the refrigerator 1 in this application uses air outlets in the air duct 4 to direct airflow to the periphery of the vacuum drawer 3. This arrangement results in lower air circulation efficiency and more even cooling, but also leads to prolonged operation of the air duct 4 in the vacuum drawer 3, further exacerbating frost buildup on the evaporator 84. Because the refrigeration system becomes less efficient after frost buildup, the temperature of the vacuum drawer 3 cannot reach below zero. Without intervention in this state, a vicious cycle will occur. To improve the cooling effect of the refrigerator 1 and meet the preservation requirements of the vacuum drawer 3, a defrosting process is necessary for the refrigerator 1.

[0075] To better address the issue of frost formation caused by extreme environments, it is necessary to have an accurate understanding of the external environment in which the refrigerator 1 is located. Therefore, to better monitor the external environment of the refrigerator 1, a first temperature sensor and a humidity sensor are installed on the outside of the cabinet 11. The first temperature sensor is used to detect the ambient temperature of the refrigerator 1, and the humidity sensor is used to detect the ambient humidity of the refrigerator 1. The operating mode of the refrigerator 1 is adjusted according to the range of ambient temperature and ambient humidity.

[0076] In some embodiments of this application, a controller is provided inside the refrigerator 1. The controller controls the operation of the refrigerator 1 and responds to user operations through various software control programs stored in the memory. The controller controls the overall workflow of the refrigerator 1, for example, receiving the temperature value detected by the first temperature sensor and the humidity value detected by the humidity sensor, and adjusting the working mode of the refrigerator 1 accordingly.

[0077] In some embodiments, the controller includes at least one of a central processing unit (CPU), a video processor, an audio processor, a graphics processing unit (GPU), RAM (random access memory), ROM (read-only memory), a first to an nth interface for input / output, a communication bus, etc.

[0078] When the controller determines that the temperature value detected by the first temperature sensor and the humidity value detected by the humidity sensor meet the first preset extreme conditions, and the vacuum drawer 3 is in fresh food mode, the compressor 81 will work for a period of time and then stop intermittently according to the preset cycle. During the process of the compressor 81 stopping, the refrigerator 1 will use the natural temperature difference between the refrigerator compartment and the evaporator 84 to perform the defrosting action.

[0079] It should be noted that during the operation of the refrigeration system, the air inlet damper of the air supply duct 4 is closed, prioritizing the use of the cooling capacity generated by the refrigeration system to meet the temperature requirements of the refrigerator compartment. Then, the air inlet damper of the air supply duct 4 is opened, and the cooling capacity within the refrigeration duct is transferred to the vacuum drawer 3 in a certain proportion. Alternatively, the air inlet damper can be set to a certain opening, allowing the cooling capacity in the refrigeration duct to flow into the refrigerator compartment in a predetermined proportion, with the remaining portion flowing to the vacuum drawer 3 through the air inlet damper, thus achieving a dynamic temperature balance between the vacuum drawer 3 and the refrigerator compartment.

[0080] In some embodiments of this application, the preset cycle for the intermittent shutdown of compressor 81 is related to the ambient temperature detected by the first temperature sensor, the ambient humidity detected by the humidity sensor, and the vacuum drawer temperature detected by the second temperature sensor. Specifically, the higher the ambient temperature and humidity, the shorter the preset cycle; and the lower the vacuum drawer temperature, the longer the preset cycle.

[0081] In some embodiments of this application, in order to ensure the defrosting effect, the compressor 81 is stopped for at least the set defrosting time, so as to ensure that when the refrigerator 1 is in defrosting mode, the amount of frost generated by the compressor 81 when it is turned on is less than the amount of defrosting when it is turned off.

[0082] For example, the first preset extreme condition is that the ambient temperature is greater than T1 and the ambient humidity is greater than RH1. Specifically, T1 is set to 32℃ and RH1 is set to 75%. Meeting either the ambient temperature or the ambient humidity indicates that the first preset extreme condition is met. For example, the ambient temperature is 40℃ and the ambient humidity is 95%RH.

[0083] In other words, when the ambient temperature is greater than 32℃ or the ambient humidity is greater than 75%RH, it is determined that the refrigerator 1 is in an extreme environment. When the vacuum drawer 3 is set to fresh food mode, in order to meet the preservation effect of the vacuum drawer 3, the compressor 81 will start to stop intermittently after working for a period of time. That is, it will work for a period of time and then stop for a period of time, so as to defrost while ensuring the preservation effect of the vacuum drawer 3 and prevent frost from adversely affecting the cooling capacity of the refrigeration system.

[0084] In some embodiments of this application, when the temperature value detected by the first temperature sensor and the humidity value detected by the humidity sensor meet the first preset extreme conditions, and the vacuum drawer 3 is in fresh food mode, during the operation of the compressor 81, the low-temperature airflow in the refrigeration duct is diverted to the air supply duct 4 and the refrigerator compartment in a certain proportion.

[0085] In some embodiments of this application, a second temperature sensor is provided on the outer wall of the vacuum drawer 3. The second temperature sensor is used to detect the temperature change of the vacuum drawer 3 during operation and adjust the size of the air inlet door of the air supply duct 4 or the working state of the refrigeration system according to the temperature value of the vacuum drawer to meet the preservation requirements of the vacuum drawer 3.

[0086] Specifically, when the vacuum drawer 3 is in fresh food mode, it checks whether the temperature value detected by the second temperature sensor has reached the preset temperature. When the preset temperature is reached, the air supply duct 4 stops the low-temperature airflow entering the cooling duct. In fresh food mode, the temperature of the vacuum drawer 3 needs to reach below zero. At this time, it needs to be cooled by the low-temperature airflow of the air supply duct 4. At the same time, in order to prevent the temperature of the vacuum drawer 3 from getting too low, the temperature of the vacuum drawer 3 needs to be detected in real time to control the working state of the air supply duct 4. The preset temperature is obtained by descending from a higher temperature. When the detected temperature value is higher than the preset temperature, the air supply duct 4 works to cool the vacuum drawer 3 and ensure the freshness preservation ability of the vacuum drawer 3. When the detected temperature value is close to the preset temperature or the detected temperature value is less than the preset temperature difference, it is determined that the vacuum drawer 3 is about to reach the preset temperature. To prevent over-adjustment, the air intake of the air supply duct 4 can be reduced to slow down the rate of temperature change, so as to achieve precise temperature control and prevent the temperature of the vacuum drawer 3 from getting too low, causing frost or freezing the stored food.

[0087] In some embodiments of this application, in order to more accurately control the operating mode of the refrigerator 1 according to the external environment of the refrigerator 1, a second preset extreme condition is also set. The temperature and humidity values ​​of the second preset extreme condition are lower than the temperature and humidity values ​​of the first preset extreme condition. For example, the second preset extreme condition is that the ambient temperature is greater than T2, the ambient humidity is greater than RH2, T2 < T1, and RH2 < RH1.

[0088] It should be noted that although only two levels of extreme conditions are set in this application, multiple levels of extreme conditions can be added according to the actual situation and the actual capacity of refrigerator 1, so as to accurately control the operation of refrigerator 1.

[0089] When the temperature value detected by the first temperature sensor and the humidity value detected by the humidity sensor meet the second preset extreme conditions, and the vacuum drawer 3 is in fresh food mode, the controller determines whether the temperature value detected by the second temperature sensor has reached the preset temperature in fresh food mode. When the temperature value detected by the second temperature sensor reaches the preset temperature, the compressor 81 is forced to stop after working for a period of time.

[0090] Specifically, when the ambient temperature is greater than T2 and the ambient humidity is greater than RH2, the controller controls the opening and stopping of the air supply duct 4 of the vacuum drawer 3 according to the temperature value of the vacuum drawer detected by the second temperature sensor. When the vacuum drawer 3 is in fresh food mode, the controller checks whether the vacuum drawer 3 has reached the preset temperature of the fresh food mode. If the preset temperature has not been reached, the air supply duct 4 continues to supply air. When the temperature value of the vacuum drawer reaches the preset temperature, in order to ensure the temperature of the vacuum drawer 3 during the defrosting stage, the refrigeration system can be forced to stop after working for a period of time, and then the defrosting is carried out by utilizing the natural temperature difference between the refrigerator compartment and the evaporator 84.

[0091] In some embodiments of this application, in order to better control the working temperature of the vacuum drawer 3, an air inlet damper is provided at the air inlet 5 of the air supply duct 4, and the air volume entering the air supply duct 4 is controlled by the opening degree of the air inlet damper.

[0092] In some embodiments of this application, when the temperature value detected by the first temperature sensor and the humidity value detected by the humidity sensor do not meet the second preset extreme conditions, the temperature range of the vacuum drawer temperature value detected by the second temperature sensor is determined. When the vacuum drawer temperature value reaches below the first temperature threshold, the air inlet damper is closed, and air is stopped from being supplied to the air supply duct 4. When the vacuum drawer temperature value detected by the second temperature sensor reaches above the second temperature threshold, the air inlet damper opening is adjusted to 100%. Otherwise, the air inlet damper opening is adjusted according to the vacuum drawer temperature value. The higher the vacuum drawer temperature value, the larger the air inlet damper opening.

[0093] Specifically, the first temperature threshold can be set to 0℃, and the second temperature threshold can be set to 3℃. More specifically, when the ambient temperature and ambient humidity do not meet the second preset extreme conditions, i.e., the ambient temperature is less than T2 and the ambient humidity is less than RH2, the controller can control the start and stop of the air supply duct 4 according to the temperature detected by the second temperature sensor outside the vacuum drawer 3. When the detected temperature is 0℃, the air inlet damper is closed and the air supply duct 4 stops supplying air. When the detected temperature is 3℃, the air inlet damper is fully opened and the air supply duct 4 supplies air. When the detected temperature is between 0℃ and 3℃, the air inlet damper is partially opened, and its specific opening degree is set to H, and the detected temperature is T. The higher the detected temperature, the larger the opening degree of the air inlet damper.

[0094] In some embodiments of this application, different extreme conditions can be simulated, and machine learning can be used to record the working status and duration of each component of the refrigerator 1 under the first and second extreme conditions, so as to make a reference implementation in the next harsh environment and continuously optimize the working time and working status of each component, including at least the preset cycle and the working time of the refrigeration system.

[0095] Reference Figure 10 The following is a flowchart of the defrosting method when the refrigerator 1 is under extreme conditions and the vacuum drawer 3 is in fresh food mode.

[0096] First, the temperature sensor detects the ambient temperature of the refrigerator 1, and the humidity sensor detects the ambient humidity of the refrigerator 1. The detected values ​​are then transmitted to the controller, which determines whether the set extreme conditions have been met.

[0097] Determine whether the ambient temperature and humidity meet the first preset extreme conditions. If they do, determine whether the vacuum drawer 3 is in the fresh food mode working state. If so, make the compressor 81 work for a period of time and then intermittently stop according to the preset cycle.

[0098] If the ambient temperature and humidity do not meet the first preset extreme conditions, then determine whether the ambient temperature and humidity meet the second preset extreme conditions. If they do, then determine whether the vacuum drawer 3 is in the fresh food mode working state. If so, determine whether the temperature value detected by the second temperature sensor has reached the preset temperature in the fresh food mode. When the temperature value detected by the second temperature sensor reaches the preset temperature, the compressor 81 will be forcibly stopped after working for a period of time.

[0099] If the ambient temperature and humidity do not meet the second preset extreme conditions, the temperature range of the vacuum drawer temperature value detected by the second temperature sensor is determined. When the vacuum drawer temperature value is below the first temperature threshold, the air inlet damper is closed, and air is stopped from being supplied to the air supply duct 4. When the vacuum drawer temperature value detected by the second temperature sensor is above the second temperature threshold, the opening of the air inlet damper is adjusted to 100%. Otherwise, the opening of the air inlet damper is adjusted according to the vacuum drawer temperature value. The higher the vacuum drawer temperature value, the larger the opening of the air inlet damper.

[0100] Reference Figure 11 When the ambient temperature and humidity meet the first preset limit conditions, the working timing diagram of compressor 81 is as follows: Specifically, after compressor 81 operates normally for time t1, it is intermittently stopped using the M cycle.

[0101] Reference Figure 12 When the ambient temperature and humidity meet the second preset limit conditions, the working timing diagram of compressor 81 is as follows: Specifically, compressor 81 is forcibly shut down after working normally for time t2.

[0102] Reference Figure 13 The relationship between the vacuum drawer temperature and the air inlet damper opening when the ambient temperature and humidity do not meet the second preset limit conditions is as follows: When the vacuum drawer temperature is below the first temperature threshold X1, the air inlet damper opening is zero. When the vacuum drawer temperature is between the first temperature threshold X1 and the second temperature threshold X2, the air inlet damper opening is correlated with the vacuum drawer temperature. The relationship in the figure is only an example. When the vacuum drawer temperature reaches the second temperature threshold X2, the air inlet damper opening is 100%.

[0103] In the above embodiments, a refrigerator 1 includes a cabinet 11, a first temperature sensor and a humidity sensor disposed outside the cabinet 11, a refrigerator compartment, a cooling air duct, a vacuum drawer 3 located inside the refrigerator compartment, an air supply duct 4 located above the vacuum drawer 3 and connected to the cooling air duct, a second temperature sensor disposed around the vacuum drawer 3, and a controller. The controller determines whether the environment in which the refrigerator 1 is located is an extreme environment based on the detection values ​​of the first temperature sensor and the humidity sensor. When the refrigerator 1 is in an extreme environment and is in cooling mode, and the vacuum drawer 3 is in fresh food mode, in order to prevent frost from forming and weakening the cooling effect of the cooling system, the compressor 81 intermittently stops after working for a period of time according to a preset cycle. During the process of the compressor 81 stopping, the refrigerator 1 performs a defrosting action using the natural temperature difference between the refrigerator compartment and the evaporator 84. This effectively ensures the cooling capacity of the refrigerator 1 and the freshness preservation capacity of the vacuum drawer 3 under extreme conditions, prevents food damage, and improves the user experience.

[0104] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and are not intended to limit them. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features therein. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application.

[0105] For ease of explanation, the above description has been provided in conjunction with specific embodiments. However, the above exemplary discussion is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the embodiments to the specific forms disclosed above. Various modifications and variations can be obtained based on the above teachings. The selection and description of the above embodiments are for the purpose of better explaining the principles and practical applications, thereby enabling those skilled in the art to better utilize the described embodiments and various different variations of embodiments suitable for specific use considerations.

Claims

1. A refrigerator, characterized in that, include: The container, at least, defines a cold storage compartment; A refrigeration air duct is located at the rear of the refrigerator compartment; An evaporator is located within the refrigeration duct; compressor; A first temperature sensor is located on the outside of the cabinet and is used to detect the ambient temperature of the refrigerator and adjust the working mode of the refrigerator accordingly. A humidity sensor, located on the outside of the refrigerator, is used to detect the ambient humidity of the refrigerator and adjust the refrigerator's operating mode accordingly. A vacuum drawer, located in the refrigerator compartment, the vacuum drawer including at least a fresh food mode; An air supply duct is located at the top of the vacuum drawer. The air inlet of the air supply duct is connected to one of the air outlets of the cooling duct so as to draw in low-temperature airflow for cooling. The system includes a second temperature sensor located on the exterior of the vacuum drawer. This second temperature sensor is used to detect temperature changes during the operation of the vacuum drawer. The controller is configured such that when the temperature value detected by the first temperature sensor and the humidity value detected by the humidity sensor meet the first preset extreme conditions, and the vacuum drawer is in fresh food mode, the compressor will work for a period of time and then stop intermittently according to a preset cycle. During the compressor stoppage, the refrigerator will use the natural temperature difference between the refrigerator compartment and the evaporator to perform a defrosting action. When the temperature value detected by the first temperature sensor and the humidity value detected by the humidity sensor meet the first preset extreme conditions, and the vacuum drawer is in fresh food mode, during the operation of the compressor, the low-temperature airflow in the refrigeration duct is diverted to the air supply duct and the refrigerator compartment in a certain proportion. The higher the ambient temperature and humidity, the shorter the preset cycle; the lower the temperature of the vacuum drawer, the longer the preset cycle. The first preset extreme conditions are: ambient temperature greater than T1 and ambient humidity greater than RH1; the temperature range of the fresh food mode is set to below zero degrees.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the temperature value detected by the first temperature sensor and the humidity value detected by the humidity sensor meet the second preset extreme conditions, and the vacuum drawer is in fresh food mode, the controller determines whether the temperature value detected by the second temperature sensor has reached the preset temperature in fresh food mode. When the temperature value detected by the second temperature sensor reaches the preset temperature, the compressor is forced to stop after working for a period of time.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 2, characterized in that, The temperature and humidity values ​​of the second preset extreme condition are lower than those of the first preset extreme condition.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 3, characterized in that, The air inlet of the air supply duct is equipped with an air inlet damper, and the air volume of the air supply duct during the operation of the vacuum drawer can be changed by adjusting the opening of the air inlet damper.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 4, characterized in that, When the temperature value detected by the first temperature sensor and the humidity value detected by the humidity sensor do not meet the second preset extreme conditions, the temperature range of the vacuum drawer temperature value detected by the second temperature sensor is determined. When the vacuum drawer temperature value reaches below the first temperature threshold, the air inlet damper is closed, and air is stopped from being supplied to the air duct. When the vacuum drawer temperature value detected by the second temperature sensor reaches above the second temperature threshold, the air inlet damper opening is adjusted to 100%. Otherwise, the opening of the air inlet damper is adjusted according to the vacuum drawer temperature value. The higher the vacuum drawer temperature value, the larger the opening of the air inlet damper.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The compressor's shutdown time is at least the set defrosting time, to ensure that when the refrigerator is in defrosting mode, the amount of frost when the compressor is turned on is less than the amount of defrosting when it is turned off.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The air supply duct includes at least two air outlets, which are located at both ends of the air supply duct. The low-temperature airflow of the air supply duct flows out through the air outlets and forms a uniform low-temperature air zone around the vacuum drawer, so that the temperature of the vacuum drawer detected by the second temperature sensor reaches the preset temperature.

8. The refrigerator according to claim 7, characterized in that, The air supply duct is provided with guide ribs, which are arranged along the inflow direction of the low-temperature airflow at the air inlet of the air supply duct, and change the flow direction and flow speed of the low-temperature airflow so that each air outlet flows out a corresponding preset air volume.

Images