Refrigeration system for drinking water equipment, drinking water equipment

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of drinking water equipment control technology, specifically disclosing a refrigeration system and a drinking water device. The refrigeration system includes: a temperature sensor mounted on the base of the drinking water device for detecting the temperature of the environment in which the drinking water device is located; a refrigeration unit including a compressor mounted on the base; and a control device connected to both the temperature sensor and the compressor. The control device controls the compressor to perform an ice-making operation at a first operating frequency based on the temperature information. After the ice-making operation is completed, if no cold water or ice-retrieving command is received within a first preset time period, the control device controls the compressor to operate at a second operating frequency. The second operating frequency is lower than the first operating frequency to achieve energy saving, reduce the refrigeration power consumption and cost of the drinking water device, and improve the user experience.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of drinking water equipment control technology, and in particular to a refrigeration system and drinking water equipment. Background Technology

[0002] As people have higher and higher requirements for drinking water quality, drinking water equipment has become more and more popular, and the functions of drinking water equipment have become more and more diverse. Among them, the cooling function is the most important and common function of drinking water equipment.

[0003] In related technologies, fixed operating modes are generally used to complete the functions of water dispensers without considering energy consumption, resulting in high operating costs and a poor user experience. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This invention aims to at least partially solve one of the technical problems in related technologies. Therefore, the first objective of this invention is to provide a refrigeration system for a water dispenser that can reduce the refrigeration power consumption and cost of the dispenser, thereby improving the user experience.

[0005] The second objective of this invention is to provide a drinking water device.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, a first aspect of the present invention provides a refrigeration system for a water drinking device. The refrigeration system includes: a temperature sensor disposed on the base of the water drinking device for detecting temperature information of the environment in which the water drinking device is located; a refrigeration device including a compressor disposed on the base; and a control device connected to the temperature sensor and the compressor respectively, for controlling the compressor to perform an ice-making operation at a first operating frequency based on the temperature information, and, after the ice-making operation is completed, if no cold water or ice-retrieving command is received within a first preset time period, controlling the compressor to operate at a second operating frequency, wherein the second operating frequency is less than the first operating frequency.

[0007] The refrigeration system of the drinking water equipment in this invention includes a temperature sensor, a refrigeration device, and a control device. The control device can determine the ice-making parameters based on the ambient temperature obtained by the temperature sensor, and then control the compressor in the refrigeration device. If no cold water or ice-making command is received within a first preset time period, different refrigeration parameters are used to control the compressor to achieve energy saving, reduce the refrigeration power consumption and refrigeration cost of the drinking water equipment, and improve the user experience.

[0008] In some embodiments of the present invention, the control device is further configured to: when the compressor is running at the second operating frequency, if the cold water extraction command or the ice extraction command is received, control the compressor to run at the first operating frequency.

[0009] In some embodiments of the present invention, the refrigeration device further includes: a refrigerator; a condenser disposed inside the refrigerator; a cold water tank disposed below the refrigerator for collecting cold water generated during operation of the condenser; and a storage refrigerator with its inlet opposite to the outlet of the refrigerator for storing ice generated during operation of the refrigeration device.

[0010] In some embodiments of the present invention, the refrigerator includes an ice-sweeping module and an ice-holding module. The ice-sweeping module is disposed between the condenser and the ice-holding module, and the ice-sweeping module can rotate back and forth around the condenser. When the ice-sweeping module rotates back and forth, the ice blocks in the ice-holding module are sent to the storage refrigerator through the outlet of the refrigerator for storage.

[0011] In some embodiments of the present invention, the refrigerator is equipped with a sensor for detecting the ice storage status in the refrigerator.

[0012] In some embodiments of the present invention, the control device is further configured to: determine that the ice-making operation is completed when the ice storage state is full and the cold water temperature of the cold water tank is less than a second preset temperature.

[0013] In some embodiments of the present invention, the control device is further configured to: control the refrigeration device to perform a refrigeration operation before obtaining the temperature information of the environment where the water drinking device is located through the temperature sensor, then obtain the temperature of the cold water in the cold water tank, and control the refrigerator to perform de-icing treatment when the cold water temperature is less than or equal to a first preset temperature.

[0014] In some embodiments of the present invention, the control device is further configured to: control the refrigeration device to remain in a stopped state for a second preset duration before controlling the refrigeration device to perform a refrigeration operation.

[0015] In some examples of the present invention, the control device is further configured to: control the refrigeration device to perform a heat preservation program when the ice storage state of the refrigerator is full of ice and the cold water temperature of the cold water tank is less than a third preset temperature.

[0016] To achieve the above objectives, a second aspect of the present invention provides a drinking water device, which includes the refrigeration system of the drinking water device in the above example.

[0017] The water dispenser in this embodiment, through the cooling system of the water dispenser in the above embodiment, can reduce the cooling power consumption and cooling cost of the water dispenser, and improve the user experience.

[0018] Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 This is a block diagram of the refrigeration system of a drinking water device in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the refrigeration system structure of a drinking water device in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 3 This is a structural block diagram of the drinking water device in an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0022] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and intended to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0023] The refrigeration system and drinking water equipment of the present invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0024] The drinking water device of this invention includes multiple water treatment functions, such as refrigeration, ice making, heating, and filtration. This embodiment describes the refrigeration system of the drinking water device using the refrigeration and ice making function as an example. See details below. Figure 1 In this embodiment, the cooling system 1000 of the drinking water equipment includes a temperature sensor 100, a cooling device 200, and a control device 300.

[0025] The temperature sensor 100 is installed on the base of the water dispenser to detect the temperature information of the environment in which the water dispenser is located; the refrigeration device 200 includes a compressor 10, which is installed on the base; the control device 300 is connected to the temperature sensor and the compressor 10 respectively, and is used to control the compressor 10 to perform ice-making operation at a first operating frequency according to the temperature information, and after the ice-making operation is completed, if no cold water or ice-removal command is received within a first preset time, the control device 300 controls the compressor 10 to run at a second operating frequency, wherein the second operating frequency is less than the first operating frequency.

[0026] Specifically, the water dispenser has a base for supporting other devices on it. This base is in direct contact with the external environment, so in this embodiment, a temperature sensor 100 is directly mounted on the base to accurately obtain the temperature information of the environment where the water dispenser is located. In this embodiment, the refrigeration device 200 includes a compressor 10, which is a variable frequency compressor. The compressor 10 is also mounted on the base. It should be noted that because the compressor 10 is relatively heavy, mounting it on the base increases the stability of the base. The control device 300 is connected to both the temperature sensor 100 and the compressor 10. It can acquire the ambient temperature information collected by the temperature sensor 100, and then control the compressor 10 to perform an ice-making operation based on this temperature information. After the compressor 10 completes the ice-making operation, if no cold water or ice-retrieving command is received within a first preset time period, the compressor 10 is controlled to operate at a second operating frequency. This second operating frequency can be the operating frequency corresponding to the energy-saving operating mode.

[0027] More specifically, after acquiring the ambient temperature information, the control device 300 can determine the ice-making parameters and de-icing parameters based on this information. These parameters control the ice-making mode of the refrigeration device. In this embodiment, the first operating frequency corresponding to the first ice-making mode is used to control the refrigeration device. It should be noted that when the ambient temperature is high, heat exchange is poor. Therefore, for the same ice weight, ice-making at high temperatures takes longer than at room temperature. Conversely, de-icing at high temperatures takes less time than at room temperature, and vice versa at low temperatures. It should also be noted that in this embodiment, the ice-making mode is determined based on the ambient temperature information to ensure that the weight of individual ice crystals varies within a certain range under different environments, thus ensuring uniform ice size and weight and improving the aesthetic appeal of the ice crystals. During the operation of the first ice-making mode, the generated ice crystals are swept into a storage refrigerator for storage. When the refrigerator is full of ice crystals, the ice-making operation is considered complete, and a timing operation is then initiated. When the timer reaches the first preset duration and the water dispenser does not receive any commands to dispense ice or cold water, the refrigeration unit can be controlled to operate at the second operating frequency corresponding to the second ice-making mode. The second ice-making mode can be an ECO (Ecology Conservation Optimization) mode to control the refrigeration unit to operate in energy-efficiently and reduce energy consumption. It should be noted that commands to dispense cold water and ice can be generated through the control panel on the water dispenser, or through infrared signals, radio frequency signals, etc. It should also be noted that the second operating frequency is lower than the first operating frequency.

[0028] In some embodiments of the present invention, the control device 300 is further configured to: when the compressor 10 is running at a second operating frequency, if a cold water extraction command or an ice extraction command is received, control the compressor 10 to run at a first operating frequency.

[0029] Specifically, if the control device 300 does not receive a cold water or ice dispensing command while controlling the compressor 10 to operate at the second operating frequency, the control device 300 will continue to control the compressor 10 to operate at the second operating frequency to reduce energy consumption. However, if the water dispenser receives a cold water or ice dispensing command during this process, the control module 30 will control the compressor 10 to switch from the second operating frequency to the first operating frequency to meet the user's needs as quickly as possible.

[0030] In some embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 2 As shown, the refrigeration device 200 also includes: a refrigerator 12, a condenser 11, a cold water tank 13, and a storage refrigerator 14. The condenser 11 is disposed inside the refrigerator 12; the cold water tank 13 is disposed below the refrigerator 12 and is used to collect the cold water generated during the operation of the condenser 11; the inlet of the storage refrigerator 14 is disposed opposite to the outlet of the refrigerator 12 and is used to store the ice generated during the operation of the refrigeration device.

[0031] Furthermore, the refrigerator 12 includes an ice-sweeping module 121 and an ice-holding module 122. The ice-sweeping module 121 is disposed between the condenser 11 and the ice-holding module 122, and the ice-sweeping module 121 can rotate back and forth around the condenser 11. When the ice-sweeping module 121 rotates back and forth, the ice in the ice-holding module 12 is sent to the storage refrigerator 14 through the outlet of the refrigerator 12 for storage.

[0032] Specifically, the bottom of the ice-collecting module 122 is also provided with a through hole for guiding the cold water generated by the condenser 11 in ice-making and refrigeration into the cold water tank 13. The ice-sweeping module 121 can rotate around the axis of the condenser 11. During ice-making and refrigeration, the ice-sweeping module 121 can be in a position where... Figure 2 As shown in the diagram, during the de-icing process, the ice-sweeping module 121 can rotate 180 degrees counterclockwise to be positioned above the condenser 11. Space is left above the condenser 11 for the ice-sweeping module 121 to rotate. After the condenser 11 has finished de-icing, the ice-sweeping module 121 rotates 180 degrees clockwise and sweeps the ice particles that have fallen into the refrigerator 12 toward the outlet of the refrigerator 12, so that they can be swept into the storage refrigerator 14 through the outlet of the refrigerator 12.

[0033] In this embodiment, the refrigerator 14 is equipped with a sensor for detecting the ice storage status in the refrigerator 14.

[0034] Specifically, the refrigerator 14 is equipped with a sensor (not shown in the figure). For example, the sensor can be an infrared sensor. The infrared sensor is used to detect the ice storage status in the refrigerator 14. It should be noted that the sensor can be set at the full ice position of the refrigerator 14 and used to detect whether there are ice particles in the full ice position. If ice particles are detected, the ice storage status in the refrigerator 14 is determined to be full ice; otherwise, the ice storage status in the refrigerator 14 is determined to be not full ice.

[0035] In this embodiment, the control device 300 is further configured to: determine that the ice-making operation is completed when the ice storage state is full and the cold water temperature of the cold water tank 13 is less than the second preset temperature.

[0036] Specifically, in this embodiment, another temperature sensor is also installed inside the cold water tank 13. This temperature sensor is used to detect the temperature of the cold water inside the cold water tank 13. The control device 300 can determine whether the ice-making operation is complete based on the cold water temperature and the ice storage status. More specifically, when the ice storage status is full and the temperature of the cold water inside the cold water tank 13 is lower than the second preset temperature, it can be determined that the ice-making operation has been completed, that is, ice making has been completed.

[0037] In some embodiments of the present invention, the control device 300 is further configured to: control the refrigeration device to perform a refrigeration operation before obtaining the temperature information of the environment where the water drinking device is located through the temperature sensor, then obtain the temperature of the cold water in the cold water tank 13, and control the refrigerator 12 to perform de-icing when the cold water temperature is less than or equal to the first preset temperature.

[0038] Specifically, before obtaining the temperature information of the environment where the water dispenser is located through the temperature sensor, in order to ensure that there are no excess ice particles in the refrigerator 12 that would affect ice making, this embodiment will first perform a de-icing process before the condenser 11 performs refrigeration and ice making. The specific de-icing process includes: first, the control device 300 controls the refrigeration device to perform refrigeration operation, that is, the compressor 10, refrigerant solenoid valve and other refrigeration-related devices will be opened. Then, the temperature of the cold water in the cold water tank 13 is obtained, and when the cold water temperature is less than or equal to a first preset temperature, the refrigerator 12 is controlled to perform the de-icing process. Among them, controlling the cold water temperature to be less than or equal to the first preset temperature is to ensure that the cold water will not have a significant impact on the ice making operation. When the cold water temperature is high, the ice blocks made in the ice making operation will melt easily, causing the ice blocks to stick together, and the ice making energy consumption will also increase. In this embodiment, the de-icing process can be achieved using the ice-sweeping module 121. Specifically, the ice-sweeping module 121 can first be controlled to rotate 180 degrees and maintain this position for 5 seconds, allowing ice particles to fall into the refrigerator. Then, the ice-sweeping module 121 is controlled to reset. During the reset process, the ice-sweeping module 121 can move the ice particles that have fallen into the refrigerator 12 into the storage refrigerator 14 for storage. It should be noted that the de-icing process in this embodiment can be performed multiple times, for example, twice, to ensure complete de-icing. In addition, the specific duration for which the ice-sweeping module 121 maintains its position during the above-mentioned de-icing process can be determined according to the ambient temperature. The higher the ambient temperature, the shorter the maintenance time; the lower the ambient temperature, the longer the maintenance time.

[0039] In this embodiment, the control device 300 is further configured to: control the refrigeration device to remain in a stopped state for a second preset duration before controlling the refrigeration device to perform a refrigeration operation.

[0040] Specifically, before performing the de-icing operation, in this embodiment, while the water dispenser is powered on for refrigeration, the control device 300 keeps the refrigeration device in a stopped state for a second preset time before starting operation. This is to prevent the water dispenser from misjudging the situation. If the refrigerator 14 is full of ice and a misjudgment occurs, causing the refrigeration device to continue making ice, and the ice particles become clogged during storage, it may lead to an imbalance in the internal pressure of the compressor 10, resulting in abnormalities or shutdown. Therefore, in this embodiment, before controlling the refrigeration device to perform the refrigeration operation, the control device 300 also keeps the refrigeration device in a stopped state for a second preset time, which can be 3 minutes. During these three minutes, the compressor, refrigerant solenoid valve, and other refrigeration-related components are all in a stopped state.

[0041] In some embodiments of the present invention, the control device 300 is further configured to: control the refrigeration device to perform a heat preservation program when the ice storage state of the refrigerator 14 is full of ice and the cold water temperature of the cold water tank is less than a third preset temperature.

[0042] Specifically, regardless of whether the compressor operates at the first or second operating frequency, it is necessary to determine whether the ice-making operation has been completed during operation. This can be determined by the ice storage status of the refrigerator 14 and the temperature of the cold water in the cold water tank 13. If the ice storage status is full and the cold water temperature is lower than the third preset temperature, the control device 300 can control the compressor to enter a heat preservation program. In this embodiment, the heat preservation program can be achieved by controlling the operating speed of the refrigeration device to a preset speed, such as 500 rpm or 1000 rpm, or by directly controlling the refrigeration device to stop. Optionally, the third preset temperature in this embodiment is 6 degrees Celsius.

[0043] It should be noted that when the ice storage state is not full or the temperature of the cold water in the cold water tank is greater than or equal to the third preset temperature, the control device 300 can control the refrigeration device to exit the heat preservation state and return to the normal execution state, that is, to operate at the original operating frequency.

[0044] In summary, the refrigeration system of the drinking water equipment in this embodiment of the invention can reduce the refrigeration power consumption and refrigeration cost of the drinking water equipment, and improve the user experience.

[0045] Figure 3 This is a structural block diagram of the drinking water device in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0046] Furthermore, the present invention proposes a drinking water device 2000, which includes the refrigeration system 1000 of the drinking water device in the above embodiments.

[0047] The water dispenser in this embodiment, through the cooling system of the water dispenser in the above embodiment, can reduce the cooling power consumption and cooling cost of the water dispenser, and improve the user experience.

[0048] Furthermore, the other components and functions of the drinking water equipment in the embodiments of the present invention are known to those skilled in the art, and will not be described in detail here to reduce redundancy.

[0049] In the description of this specification, references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0050] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention.

[0051] Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," etc., used in the embodiments of this invention are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance, or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated in this embodiment. Therefore, features defined with terms such as "first" and "second" in the embodiments of this invention can explicitly or implicitly indicate that the embodiment includes at least one of those features. In the description of this invention, the word "multiple" means at least two or more, such as two, three, four, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified in the embodiments.

[0052] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified or limited in the embodiments, the terms "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing" appearing in the embodiments should be interpreted broadly. For example, a connection can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; it can also be a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, etc. Of course, it can also be a direct connection, or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, or it can be the internal communication of two components, or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific implementation.

[0053] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can mean that the first feature is in direct contact with the second feature, or that the first feature is in indirect contact with the second feature through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0054] Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described above, it is understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and should not be construed as limiting the present invention. Those skilled in the art can make changes, modifications, substitutions and variations to the above embodiments within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A refrigeration system for a drinking water device, characterized in that, The refrigeration system includes: A temperature sensor is mounted on the base of the water dispenser and is used to detect the temperature information of the environment in which the water dispenser is located. A refrigeration device, the refrigeration device including a compressor, the compressor being mounted on the base; A control device is connected to the temperature sensor and the compressor respectively. It is used to control the compressor to perform ice-making operation at a first operating frequency according to the temperature information. After the ice-making operation is completed, if no cold water or ice-taking command is received within a first preset time, the control device controls the compressor to run at a second operating frequency, wherein the second operating frequency is less than the first operating frequency. The refrigeration device further includes: Refrigerator manufacturing; A condenser, wherein the condenser is disposed inside the refrigerator; A cold water tank is located below the refrigerator and is used to collect the cold water generated during the operation of the condenser. A storage refrigerator, wherein the inlet of the storage refrigerator is positioned opposite to the outlet of the refrigeration refrigerator, and is used to store ice blocks generated during the operation of the refrigeration device; The control device is also used for: When the ice storage refrigerator is full of ice and the cold water temperature in the cold water tank is lower than the second preset temperature, the ice-making operation is determined to be complete. When the ice storage refrigerator is full and the cold water temperature in the cold water tank is lower than the third preset temperature, the refrigeration device is controlled to execute a heat preservation program.

2. The refrigeration system of the drinking water equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control device is further configured to: when the compressor is running at the second operating frequency, if the cold water extraction command or the ice extraction command is received, control the compressor to run at the first operating frequency.

3. The refrigeration system of the drinking water equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The refrigerator includes an ice-sweeping module and an ice-collecting module. The ice-sweeping module is located between the condenser and the ice-collecting module, and the ice-sweeping module can rotate back and forth around the condenser. When the ice-sweeping module rotates back and forth, the ice blocks in the ice-collecting module are sent to the storage refrigerator through the outlet of the refrigerator for storage.

4. The refrigeration system of the drinking water equipment according to claim 3, characterized in that, The refrigerator is equipped with a sensor, which is used to detect the ice storage status in the refrigerator.

5. The refrigeration system of the drinking water equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control device is also used to: control the refrigeration device to perform a refrigeration operation before obtaining the temperature information of the environment where the water drinking device is located through the temperature sensor, then obtain the temperature of the cold water in the cold water tank, and control the refrigerator to perform de-icing treatment when the cold water temperature is less than or equal to a first preset temperature.

6. The refrigeration system of the drinking water equipment according to claim 5, characterized in that, The control device is also used to: control the refrigeration device to remain in a stopped state for a second preset time before controlling the refrigeration device to perform a refrigeration operation.

7. A drinking water device, characterized in that, Includes the refrigeration system of the drinking water device as described in claim 6.

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