Unfreezing device, unfreezing method, controller and refrigerator

Abstract

The invention discloses an unfreezing device, an unfreezing method, a controller and a refrigerator. The unfreezing device comprises an unfreezing drawer; the air supply device is used for supplying air into the thawing drawer; the electric field generating device is used for generating an electric field into the unfreezing drawer, and the electric field generating device comprises a plate-type electrode which is arranged at the bottom of the unfreezing drawer and is used for being in contact with to-be-unfrozen food materials; the controller is used for periodically acquiring the temperature of the to-be-unfrozen food material in the unfreezing process, controlling the electric field generation device to operate in a first voltage range and controlling the air supply device to operate in a first air speed range under the condition that the temperature of the to-be-unfrozen food material is smaller than a first temperature threshold value; and under the condition that the temperature of the to-be-unfrozen food material is smaller than the second temperature threshold value and larger than the first temperature threshold value, the electric field generation device is controlled to operate in a second voltage range, and the air supply device is controlled to operate in a second air speed range. Through mutual cooperation of the electric field generation device and the air supply device, the unfreezing effect and the unfreezing efficiency are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of thawing technology, and in particular to a thawing device, a thawing method, a controller and a refrigerator. Background Art

[0002] Using the refrigerator's cold storage room to defrost food such as meat can preserve the nutrients of the food during the thawing process and is not prone to breeding bacteria during the thawing process. In order to solve the problem of slow thawing speed in the cold storage room, in the related art, an electric field generating device and a fan are set in the thawing drawer of the cold storage room. The electric field promotes the polarization of water molecules in the meat, frictional heat generation, and accelerates heat transfer. The fan accelerates the heat convection inside the thawing drawer, thereby accelerating the thawing speed of the food.

[0003] After the user sets the thawing time or the thawing completion time, during the thawing process of the food, the electric field generating device and the air supply device will operate at rated power. The air supply device supplies air to the inside of the refrigerator at a constant wind speed, while the electric field generating device generates an electric field with a constant electric field strength to the inside of the refrigerator. However, on the one hand, when the same food is at different temperatures, the thawing effect of the same electric field is different. When the temperature of the food is low, the thawing effect obtained by driving the electric field generating device with high voltage is not obvious, resulting in a waste of power consumption. On the other hand, when the food is thawed to a certain extent, the thawing effect obtained by the fan running at a high wind speed is not obvious and it is easy to cause the surface of the food to be dried. Summary of the invention

[0004] The embodiments of the present application provide a thawing device, a thawing method, a controller and a refrigerator, which can adjust the working conditions of an electric field generating device and an air supply device according to the real-time temperature of the food to be thawed, so as to achieve a better thawing effect.

[0005] In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a thawing device, comprising:

[0006] A thawing drawer, wherein an upper cover is provided at an open portion of the thawing drawer;

[0007] An air supply device, disposed on the upper cover plate, for supplying air to the interior of the thawing drawer;

[0008] An electric field generating device, used for generating an electric field into the inside of the thawing drawer, the electric field generating device comprising a plate electrode for contacting the food to be thawed, the plate electrode being arranged at the bottom of the thawing drawer;

[0009] a controller, for periodically acquiring the temperature of the food to be thawed during the thawing process, and for controlling the electric field generating device to operate within a first voltage range and the air supply device to operate within a first wind speed range when the temperature of the food to be thawed is less than a first temperature threshold, controlling the electric field generating device to operate within a second voltage range and the air supply device to operate within a second wind speed range when the temperature of the food to be thawed is less than a second temperature threshold and greater than the first temperature threshold, and stopping the air supply device and the electric field generating device when the temperature of the food to be thawed is greater than the second temperature threshold;

[0010] The minimum wind speed in the first wind speed range is greater than the maximum wind speed in the second wind speed range, the maximum voltage in the first voltage range is less than the minimum voltage in the second voltage range, and the first temperature threshold is less than the second temperature threshold.

[0011] In some embodiments, a heat dissipation fin is disposed at the bottom of the plate electrode, and the heat dissipation fin is located outside the thawing drawer.

[0012] In some embodiments, the thawing device further comprises a human-computer interaction device for displaying at least one of a reference range of the thawing time, receiving a set thawing time, and issuing a thawing completion prompt.

[0013] In a second aspect, this embodiment provides a thawing method, which is applied to any thawing device described in any one of the embodiments of the first aspect, and the thawing method includes:

[0014] Periodically obtaining the temperature of the food to be thawed during the thawing process;

[0015] When the temperature of the food to be thawed is lower than a first temperature threshold, controlling the electric field generating device to operate within a first voltage range, and controlling the air supply device to operate within a first wind speed range;

[0016] When the temperature of the food to be thawed is lower than a second temperature threshold and higher than the first temperature threshold, controlling the electric field generating device to operate within a second voltage range, and controlling the air supply device to operate within a second wind speed range;

[0017] When the temperature of the food to be thawed is greater than the second temperature threshold, stopping the air supply device and the electric field generating device;

[0018] The minimum wind speed in the first wind speed range is greater than the maximum wind speed in the second wind speed range, the maximum voltage in the first voltage range is less than the minimum voltage in the second voltage range, and the first temperature threshold is less than the second temperature threshold.

[0019] In some embodiments, the method further comprises:

[0020] Determining at least one of the type, thickness and weight of the food to be thawed by a sensor;

[0021] The second temperature threshold is determined according to at least one of the type, thickness and weight of the food to be thawed.

[0022] In some embodiments, the method further comprises:

[0023] Determine at least one of the type, thickness and weight of the food to be thawed by a sensor, and determine a reference range of thawing time according to at least one of the type, thickness and weight of the food to be thawed;

[0024] receiving a set target thawing time, wherein the target thawing time is within the thawing time reference range;

[0025] During the thawing process, the remaining thawing time is determined according to the target thawing time, and the voltage of the electric field generating device and the wind speed of the air supply device are adjusted according to the remaining thawing time so that the food to be thawed can be heated to the second temperature threshold within the target thawing time.

[0026] In some embodiments, adjusting the voltage of the electric field generating device and the wind speed of the air supply device according to the remaining thawing time includes:

[0027] When the temperature of the food to be thawed is lower than the first temperature threshold, determining a first adjustment coefficient according to the remaining thawing time, the temperature of the food to be thawed and the first temperature threshold;

[0028] The voltage of the electric field generating device is adjusted within a first voltage range and the air supply speed of the air supply device is adjusted within a first wind speed range according to the first adjustment coefficient.

[0029] In some embodiments, adjusting the voltage of the electric field generating device and the wind speed of the air supply device according to the remaining thawing time includes:

[0030] When the temperature of the food to be thawed is greater than the first temperature threshold and less than the second temperature threshold, determining a second adjustment coefficient according to the remaining thawing time, the temperature of the food to be thawed and the second temperature threshold;

[0031] The voltage of the electric field generating device is adjusted within the second voltage range according to the second adjustment coefficient, and the air supply speed of the air supply device is adjusted within the second wind speed range.

[0032] In the third aspect, this embodiment proposes a controller comprising at least one processor and a memory for communicating with the at least one processor; the memory stores instructions that can be executed by the at least one processor, and the instructions are executed by the at least one processor so that the at least one processor can execute the thawing method as described in any one of the embodiments of the second aspect.

[0033] In a fourth aspect, this embodiment provides a refrigerator, comprising any thawing device described in the embodiment of the first aspect or the controller described in the embodiment of the third aspect.

[0034] The thawing device, thawing method, controller and refrigerator of the present embodiment have at least the following beneficial effects: a plate electrode is arranged at the bottom of the thawing drawer as an electric field generating device. During the thawing process, on the one hand, the electrode, as a metal material, has good thermal conductivity. The food is placed in the thawing drawer in contact with the plate electrode, which can accelerate the dissipation of the cold of the food to the outside of the thawing drawer. On the other hand, during the thawing process, the voltage of the electric field generating device and the wind speed of the air supply device are adjusted according to the temperature of the food to be thawed. When the temperature of the food is lower than the first temperature threshold, the food is thawed mainly by air supply and supplemented by electric field, so as to avoid unnecessary energy consumption by the electric field device. When the temperature of the food rises to above the first temperature threshold, the food is thawed mainly by electric field and supplemented by air supply, so as to avoid the food being dried by air. When the temperature of the food rises to above the second temperature threshold, it is considered that the thawing is completed, and the air supply device and the electric field generating device are stopped. Through the above thawing method, while achieving a better food thawing effect, unnecessary energy consumption is reduced. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the thawing device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0036] Figure 2 It is an overall flow chart of the thawing method provided in the embodiment of the present application;

[0037] Figure 3 is a flow chart of starting the air supply device and the electric field generating device provided in the embodiment of the present application;

[0038] Figure 4 is a flow chart for recording the first duration of stopping the air supply device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0039] Figure 5 is a flow chart of recording the second duration of stopping the electric field generating device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0040] Figure 6 It is a flow chart of a compensating air supply device and an electric field generating device provided in an embodiment of the present application; Figure 7is a flowchart of an exemplary thawing method provided in an embodiment of the present application; Figure 8 It is a structural schematic diagram of a controller provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0041] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of the present application clearer, the present application is further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and examples. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present application and are not intended to limit the present application. In addition, the characteristics, operations or features described in the specification can be combined in any appropriate manner to form various implementation methods. At the same time, the steps or actions in the method description can also be replaced or adjusted in order in a manner that is obvious to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the various sequences in the specification and the accompanying drawings are only for the purpose of clearly describing a certain embodiment and are not meant to be a necessary sequence, unless otherwise specified that a certain sequence must be followed.

[0042] In the description of this application, "several" means one or more, "more" means more than two, "greater than", "less than", "exceed", etc. are understood to exclude the number itself, and "above", "below", "within", etc. are understood to include the number itself. If there is a description of "first" or "second", it is only used for the purpose of distinguishing technical features, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features or implicitly indicating the order of the indicated technical features.

[0043] The serial numbers of the components in this document, such as "first", "second", etc., are only used to distinguish the objects described and do not have any order or technical meaning. The "connection" and "coupling" mentioned in this application, unless otherwise specified, include direct and indirect connections (couplings).

[0044] As the pace of life quickens, the phenomenon of stockpiling food ingredients is becoming more and more common. People often store the purchased food ingredients in the refrigerator after freezing, and inhibit the deterioration and corruption of the food ingredients through the low temperature environment. Accordingly, thawing the food ingredients has become an important step before cooking. How to thaw the food ingredients quickly is very important. Among the more common thawing methods currently, the natural thawing speed at room temperature or in the refrigerator is slow, and high-temperature thawing methods such as microwave thawing have problems such as uneven thawing and easy ripening of the food surface.

[0045] In the related art, food is thawed by electric field. It has been proven that electric field can accelerate heat transfer by promoting polarization of water molecules and generating heat by friction. At the same time, electric field can change the distribution of water molecules in food, promote some free water to combine with amino acid residues in meat protein to form compact water, lock the moisture of food during thawing, and reduce the loss of water in food during thawing. However, in the prior art, electric field generating device often operates at a constant voltage during the entire thawing process. However, when the food is at different temperatures, there are certain differences in the effect of electric field thawing. Therefore, the existing electric field thawing method is not good enough.

[0046] Based on this, the embodiments of the present application provide a thawing device, a thawing method, a controller and a refrigerator. A plate electrode is arranged at the bottom of the thawing drawer as an electric field generating device. During the thawing process, on the one hand, the electrode, as a metal material, has good thermal conductivity. The food is placed in the thawing drawer and in contact with the plate electrode, which can accelerate the dissipation of the cold of the food to the outside of the thawing drawer and improve the thawing efficiency. On the other hand, during the thawing process, the voltage of the electric field generating device and the wind speed of the air supply device are adjusted according to the temperature of the food to be thawed. When the temperature of the food is lower than a first temperature threshold, the food is thawed mainly by air supply and supplemented by electric field, so as to avoid unnecessary energy consumption by the electric field device. When the temperature of the food rises to higher than the first temperature threshold, the food is thawed mainly by electric field and supplemented by air supply, so as to avoid the food being dried by air. When the temperature of the food rises to higher than the second temperature threshold, it is considered that the thawing is completed, and the air supply device and the electric field generating device are stopped. Through the above-mentioned thawing method, while achieving a better food thawing effect, energy resources are fully utilized and unnecessary energy consumption is reduced.

[0047] The thawing device, thawing method, controller and refrigerator are described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings:

[0048] like Figure 1 As shown, Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the thawing device provided in this embodiment.

[0049] In some embodiments, a thawing device provided in this embodiment includes:

[0050] The thawing drawer 100 is provided with an upper cover 200 at the open portion of the thawing drawer 100. The thawing drawer 100 has a certain volume and can be used to place food to be thawed; the air supply device 300 is arranged on the upper cover 200, and is used to supply air to the inside of the thawing drawer 100, accelerate the air convection speed inside the thawing drawer 100, accelerate the heat exchange between the inside of the thawing drawer 100 and the outside, improve the thawing efficiency, and promote the uniform distribution of the electric field; the electric field generating device 400 is used to generate an electric field to the inside of the thawing drawer 100. The electric field generating device 400 includes a plate electrode for contacting the food to be thawed. The plate electrode is arranged at the bottom of the thawing drawer 100. On the one hand, the plate electrode is a metal material. Materials such as stainless steel have good thermal conductivity. The food and the plate electrode arranged at the bottom of the thawing drawer 100 can quickly conduct the cold energy emitted by the food to the outside of the thawing drawer 100. On the other hand, after the plate electrode is energized, an electric field will be generated inside the thawing drawer 100, thereby promoting the polarization of water molecules inside the food and accelerating heat transfer. At the same time, the periodic change of the electric field can also destroy the hydrogen bonds that play a key role in the ice layer of the food, so that the ice layer structure is decomposed into a small molecular group structure, and the thawing of the food is accelerated. At the same time, the electric field can also promote the free water in the food to combine with the amino acid residues in the meat protein to form a compact water content, thereby retaining the nutrition of the food during the thawing process;

[0051] The controller is used to periodically obtain the temperature of the food to be thawed during the thawing process, and is also used to control the electric field generating device 400 to operate within the first voltage range and the air supply device 300 to operate within the first wind speed range when the temperature of the food to be thawed is less than the first temperature threshold, control the electric field generating device 400 to operate within the second voltage range and control the air supply device 300 to operate within the second wind speed range when the temperature of the food to be thawed is less than the second temperature threshold and greater than the first temperature threshold, and stop the air supply device 300 and the electric field generating device 400 when the temperature of the food to be thawed is greater than the second temperature threshold. Thus, the voltage of the electric field generating device 400 and the wind speed of the air supply device 300 are adjusted according to the real-time temperature of the food, and different thawing strategies are used for different stages of food thawing, thereby reducing unnecessary energy consumption while ensuring thawing efficiency.

[0052] It should be noted that the minimum wind speed in the first wind speed range is greater than the maximum wind speed in the second wind speed range, the maximum voltage in the first voltage range is less than the minimum voltage in the second voltage range, and the first temperature threshold is less than the second temperature threshold.

[0053] It is understandable that the controller can periodically obtain the temperature of the food, thereby adjusting the working conditions of the air supply device 300 and the electric field generating device 400 according to the temperature of the food. Specifically, the temperature of the food can be obtained by non-contact temperature measurement using an infrared sensor. The periodic interval for obtaining the temperature of the food can be 5 seconds, 10 seconds, 20 seconds, etc., which is not specifically limited in this embodiment.

[0054] It can be understood that when the food just starts to thaw and the temperature of the food is lower than the first temperature threshold, it can be considered that the temperature of the food is lower than the maximum ice crystal formation zone of the food. At this time, more than 80% of the water molecules in the food are frozen into ice crystals. At this time, the free water molecules of the food as a whole are relatively small. Even if a high-intensity electric field is generated inside the thawing drawer 100, it is difficult to promote the polarization of water molecules and frictional heat cannot be generated. At the same time, the hydrogen bonds that destroy the ice layer inside the food are also easily re-formed due to the low overall temperature of the food. Therefore, when the temperature of the food is lower than the first temperature threshold, the thawing effect achieved by the electric field is very limited. Therefore, the air supply device 300 is controlled to operate within the first wind speed range and the electric field generating device 400 is controlled to operate within the first voltage range. The food is thawed mainly by air supply and supplemented by electric field. The air convection speed inside the thawing drawer 100 is accelerated by the air supply device 300, the heat exchange between the surface of the food and the ambient air is accelerated, and the food is promoted to heat up quickly. When the thawing After freezing for a period of time, when the temperature of the food rises to a value higher than the first temperature threshold, the food is near the maximum ice crystal formation zone, and the surface of the food has been preliminarily thawed. The method of accelerating air thermal convection by the air supply device 300 has a poor thawing effect on the inside of the food and easily causes the surface of the food to be dried by the air. At this time, the hydrogen bonds in the ice crystal layer are interrupted by the electric field, and the ice crystals are decomposed into small molecular cluster structures, which can better promote the thawing of the food. Therefore, the food is thawed mainly by the electric field and supplemented by air supply. The hydrogen bonds of the ice layer inside the food are interrupted by the periodically changing electric field, and the ice layer structure is decomposed into small molecular cluster structures. At the same time, the polarization of water molecules is promoted, friction heat is generated, and uniform thawing of the food inside and outside is promoted. In addition, the electric field can also promote the combination of free water in the food with the amino acid residues of meat protein, thereby retaining the moisture of the food during the thawing process. When the food is heated to a value higher than the second temperature threshold, it is considered that the food is thawed, and the electric field generating device 400 and the air supply device 300 can be stopped.

[0055] It is worth noting that the air supply device 300 in this embodiment can be an axial flow fan, the air supply speed of the axial flow fan can be adjusted automatically according to the voltage. The design of the axial flow fan allows the airflow to pass through the fan in a linear motion along the axial direction without generating excessive turbulence and noise. It can evenly distribute the cold air to the interior of the refrigerator, avoid the problem of uneven temperature, and improve the energy efficiency level of the refrigerator. In addition, the axial flow fan usually has a compact appearance design and occupies a small space.

[0056] It should be noted that the first temperature threshold in this embodiment can be -5°C, -6°C, -7°C, etc. The value of the first temperature threshold is determined according to actual needs and is not specifically limited in this embodiment; the second temperature threshold is the final suitable temperature for thawing the food. Different second temperature thresholds can be set for food of different types, thicknesses and weights. Specifically, at least one of the type, thickness and weight of the food can be detected by a corresponding sensor, for example, or at least one of the type, thickness and weight of the food input by the user can be obtained to determine the corresponding second temperature threshold.

[0057] In some embodiments, the bottom of the plate electrode is provided with a heat dissipation fin, and the heat dissipation fin is provided outside the thawing drawer 100. It is understandable that by providing the heat dissipation fin at the bottom of the plate electrode, the contact area between the plate electrode and the ambient air outside the thawing drawer 100 can be increased, so that the heat exchange between the inside of the thawing drawer 100 and the ambient air outside can be accelerated, and the cold energy emitted by the food is conducted to the external environment of the thawing drawer 100, thereby improving the thawing efficiency.

[0058] In some embodiments, the thawing device is further provided with a human-machine interaction device for displaying at least one of a reference range of thawing time, receiving a set thawing time, and issuing a thawing completion prompt. The human-machine interaction device may be a touch screen provided on the door of the refrigerator, which may determine a corresponding thawing time reference range according to at least one of the type, thickness, and weight of the food detected by the sensor, and receive a target thawing time set by the user. It is understood that the target thawing time should be within the reference range of the displayed thawing time. When the target thawing time is reached, or when the food temperature is detected to be higher than the second temperature threshold, a thawing completion prompt may be issued by means of a prompt sound or by displaying a prompt message on the touch screen.

[0059] like Figure 2 As shown, this embodiment also proposes a thawing method, which is applied to the thawing device of the above embodiment, including but not limited to the following steps:

[0060] Step S100, periodically obtaining the temperature of the food to be thawed during the thawing process;

[0061] In some embodiments, the temperature of the food to be thawed can be periodically acquired by an infrared sensor during the thawing process, thereby monitoring the real-time temperature of the food, and subsequently adjusting the voltage of the electric field generating device and the wind speed of the air supply device according to the real-time temperature of the food.

[0062] Step S200, when the temperature of the food to be thawed is less than a first temperature threshold, controlling the electric field generating device to operate within a first voltage range, and controlling the air supply device to operate within a first wind speed range;

[0063] It can be understood that when the temperature of the food is lower than the first temperature threshold, it can be considered that the temperature of the food is lower than the maximum ice crystal formation zone of the food, more than 80% of the water in the food is frozen into ice crystals, and the effect of thawing by the electric field is very limited. The air supply device should be used to supply air to the inside of the thawing drawer to increase the air convection speed inside the thawing drawer and accelerate the heat exchange between the food and the ambient air to thaw the food. Therefore, the air supply device is controlled to operate within the first wind speed range. Specifically, the first wind speed range can be 50CFM to 59CFM. At this time, the air supply device operates at a higher wind speed to increase the air convection speed inside the thawing drawer. The high air convection speed inside the thawing drawer speeds up the heat exchange between the surface of the food and the ambient air, thereby accelerating the thawing of the surface of the food; and because the electric field thawing effect is very good at this time, controlling the electric field to operate within the first voltage range can reduce the energy consumption of the electric field generating device, avoid waste of resources, and thaw the food through the auxiliary air supply device. At the same time, the electric field is used to promote the free water molecules on the surface of the food to combine with the amino acid residues of meat protein to form compact moisture, thereby avoiding the air supply device running at a high wind speed from drying the surface of the food. Specifically, the first voltage range can be 0 volts to 2000 volts.

[0064] It is understandable that when the wind speed of the air supply device increases to a certain level, that is, when the wind speed increases to 59 CFM, the heat exchange efficiency between the food and the ambient air is close to the upper limit. Continuing to increase the wind speed of the air supply device will not bring about an obvious thawing effect, resulting in part of the energy being wasted. Therefore, the wind speed of the air supply device can be controlled to operate below 59 CFM.

[0065] Step S300, when the temperature of the food to be thawed is less than the second temperature threshold and greater than the first temperature threshold, controlling the electric field generating device to operate within a second voltage range, and controlling the air supply device to operate within a second wind speed range;

[0066] It is understandable that when it is detected that the temperature of the food is greater than the first temperature threshold and less than the second temperature threshold, it means that the temperature of the food is higher than the maximum ice crystal formation zone but has not yet reached the final suitable temperature for thawing the food. At this time, the ice crystals inside the food begin to melt into free water molecules, and the hydrogen bonds of the ice layer inside the food are difficult to regenerate after being destroyed. The electric field thawing effect is more obvious. Therefore, the electric field generating device is controlled to operate within the second voltage range. It should be pointed out that the maximum voltage of the first voltage range is less than the minimum voltage of the second voltage range. At this time, the electric field strength of the electric field generated by the electric field generating device is increased, and the high-voltage electric field is used to promote the polarization of water molecules inside the food, generate heat through friction, and at the same time, the high-voltage alternating electric field is used to destroy the hydrogen bonds in the ice layer, so that the ice crystals are decomposed into small molecular cluster structures, which can accelerate the melting of the ice layer inside the food, thereby promoting the thawing of the food. Specifically, the second voltage range is 2000 volts to 4000 volts. In addition, since the food has been initially thawed, the ice layer on the surface of the food has melted. At this time, if the air supply device maintains a high wind speed, it will easily lead to water loss on the surface of the food. Therefore, the air supply device is controlled to operate within a second wind speed range, wherein the maximum wind speed in the second wind speed range is less than the minimum wind speed in the first wind speed range. The air supply device is used to increase the convection speed inside the thawing drawer, accelerate the heat exchange between the surface of the food and the ambient air, and make the surface and interior of the food thawed evenly at the same time. At the same time, energy waste caused by the air supply device is prevented, and the surface of the food is prevented from being dried out due to excessive wind speed of the air supply device.

[0067] Step S400, when the temperature of the food to be thawed is greater than the second temperature threshold, stopping the air supply device and the electric field generating device;

[0068] It can be understood that the second temperature threshold is the final suitable temperature for thawing the food. When the temperature of the food rises to above the second temperature threshold, it can be considered that the food is thawed. At this time, stopping the electric field generating device and the air supply device can avoid unnecessary energy consumption. At this time, a prompt sound or prompt text can also be output through the human-computer interaction device to remind the user that the food is thawed.

[0069] like Figure 3 As shown, in some embodiments, the thawing method also includes but is not limited to:

[0070] Step S110, determining at least one of the type, thickness and weight of the food to be thawed by a sensor;

[0071] Specifically, the type of sensor may be an optical sensor, a weight sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, etc. For example, for different meats, the differences in their tissue structure and composition will affect their light absorption and reflection characteristics. Optical sensors can be used to identify the type of food based on the near-infrared spectrum. By setting a weight sensor at the bottom of the thawing drawer, the weight of the food can be detected. Ultrasonic sensors can be used to detect the thickness of the food, and so on.

[0072] Step S120, determining a second temperature threshold according to at least one of the type, thickness and weight of the food to be thawed;

[0073] It is understandable that after the ingredients are thawed, users are often unable to cook the ingredients immediately. The ingredients will be left standing for a certain period of time, during which time the ingredients will be in a state of natural thawing. At this time, for the sake of taste and preventing the growth of bacteria, different second temperature thresholds should be determined as the final suitable temperature for thawing the ingredients based on at least one of the type, thickness and weight of the ingredients. For example, for ingredients with greater thickness or weight, a relatively high final suitable temperature should be set. Correspondingly, for ingredients with thinner thickness and lighter weight, a lower final suitable temperature should be set. For ingredients with high moisture content, a lower final suitable temperature should be set. For example, the final suitable temperature for thawing pork belly should be lower than that for pork tenderloin of the same weight and thickness.

[0074] like Figure 4 As shown, in some embodiments, the thawing method may also include but is not limited to:

[0075] Step S210, determining at least one of the type, thickness and weight of the food to be thawed by a sensor, and determining a reference range of thawing time according to at least one of the type, thickness and weight of the food to be thawed;

[0076] Specifically, the method of determining the type, thickness and weight of food materials according to the sensor refers to the above embodiment and will not be repeated here. It is understandable that for the same type of food materials, the higher the weight and the greater the thickness, the longer the time required to reach the appropriate thawing temperature. For different food materials, due to the differences in their organizational structure and moisture content, the time required for thawing will also be different. After determining at least one of the type, weight and thickness of the food materials to be thawed by the sensor, the corresponding thawing time reference range can be determined according to at least one of the type, thickness and weight of the food materials to be thawed. Specifically, the reference range of the thawing time corresponding to the food materials to be thawed can be displayed on the human-computer interaction device provided on the refrigerator door.

[0077] Step S220, receiving a set target thawing time, wherein the target thawing time is within a thawing time reference range;

[0078] Specifically, after the reference range of the thawing time is outputted through the human-computer interaction device, the target thawing time inputted by the user through the human-computer interaction device may be received, thereby setting the target time for completing the thawing.

[0079] Step S230: During the thawing process, determine the remaining thawing duration according to the target thawing duration, and adjust the voltage of the electric field generating device and the wind speed of the air supply device according to the remaining thawing duration, so that the food to be thawed is heated to the second temperature threshold within the target thawing duration.

[0080] Specifically, after receiving the set target thawing duration and starting to thaw the food to be thawed, start counting down based on the target thawing duration, calculate the remaining thawing duration, and adjust the voltage of the electric field generating device and the wind speed of the air supply device according to the remaining thawing duration. Specifically, it can be to increase the wind speed of the air supply device and / or the voltage of the electric field generating device within the corresponding wind speed range and / or voltage range, thereby further increasing the air convection speed and / or electric field intensity inside the thawing drawer, and thus improving the thawing efficiency to complete the thawing within the set target thawing duration.

[0081] As Figure 5 shown, in step S230, the steps of adjusting the voltage of the electric field generating device and the wind speed of the air supply device according to the remaining thawing duration include but are not limited to:

[0082] Step S231: When the temperature of the food to be thawed is lower than the first temperature threshold, determine the first adjustment coefficient according to the remaining thawing duration, the temperature of the food to be thawed, and the first temperature threshold;

[0083] It can be understood that when the temperature of the food to be thawed is lower than the first temperature threshold, the food is in the rapid heating stage. To ensure that the food can complete rapid heating and reach the first temperature threshold within the set thawing duration, a preset temperature difference between the temperature of the food at each time point and the first temperature threshold can be set according to the remaining thawing duration. Thus, during the thawing process, calculate the actual difference between the periodically obtained temperature of the food and the first temperature threshold, and determine the corresponding first adjustment coefficient in combination with the remaining thawing duration, so as to adjust the wind speed of the air supply device within the first wind speed range and the voltage of the electric field generating device within the first voltage range subsequently.

[0084] Step S232: Adjust the voltage of the electric field generating device within the first voltage range and the air supply wind speed of the air supply device within the first wind speed range according to the first adjustment coefficient.

[0085] It can be understood that when the first adjustment coefficient reflects that the actual difference between the temperature of the food to be thawed and the first temperature threshold is greater than the preset temperature difference in the remaining thawing time, the wind speed of the air supply device should be increased within the first wind speed range and the voltage of the electric field generating device should be increased within the first voltage range. Conversely, the wind speed of the air supply device should be reduced within the first wind speed range and the voltage of the electric field generating device should be reduced within the first voltage range, so that the food can be quickly heated up within a certain period of time, leaving enough remaining thawing time for the subsequent uniform thawing of the food by electric field as the main and air supply as the auxiliary.

[0086] like Figure 6 As shown, in step S230, the step of adjusting the voltage of the electric field generating device and the wind speed of the air supply device according to the remaining thawing time may also include but is not limited to:

[0087] Step S233, when the temperature of the food to be thawed is greater than the first temperature threshold and less than the second temperature threshold, determining the second adjustment coefficient according to the remaining thawing time, the temperature of the food to be thawed and the second temperature threshold;

[0088] It can be understood that when the temperature of the food to be thawed is greater than the first temperature threshold and less than the second temperature threshold, the temperature of the food has exceeded the maximum ice crystal formation zone of the food. At this time, the food is evenly thawed by means of electric field as the main and air supply as the auxiliary. To ensure that the food is thawed within the set target thawing time, the difference between the temperature of the food to be thawed and the second temperature threshold is calculated, and the second adjustment coefficient is determined based on the difference and the remaining thawing time, so as to subsequently adjust the voltage of the electric field generating device within the second voltage range and the wind speed of the air supply device within the second wind speed range according to the second adjustment coefficient.

[0089] Step S234, adjusting the voltage of the electric field generating device within the second voltage range and adjusting the air supply speed of the air supply device within the second wind speed range according to the second adjustment coefficient.

[0090] It can be understood that when the second adjustment coefficient reflects that the remaining thawing time is short and the difference between the temperature of the food to be thawed and the second temperature threshold is large, the voltage of the electric field generating device is increased within the second voltage range and the wind speed of the air supply device is increased within the second wind speed range. Correspondingly, when the second adjustment coefficient reflects that the remaining thawing time is long and the difference between the temperature of the food to be thawed and the second temperature threshold is small, the voltage of the electric field generating device is reduced within the second voltage range and the wind speed of the air supply device is reduced within the second wind speed range, so that the food to be thawed can be thawed within the set target thawing time.

[0091] like Figure 7 As shown, Figure 7 It is a specific flow chart of a thawing method provided in an example of the present application.

[0092] Step S1, obtaining the type, weight and thickness of the food according to the user input information, and determining the thawing time and the final suitable thawing temperature;

[0093] Step S2, in response to the thawing instruction, the food starts to be thawed, and the infrared sensor starts to work and periodically detects the temperature of the food to be thawed;

[0094] Step S3, the electric field generating device operates in a normal mode (within a first voltage range), and the air supply device operates in a strong mode (within a first wind speed range);

[0095] Step S4: Determine whether the temperature of the food to be thawed is less than the first temperature threshold (-5°C). If so, return to step S3; if not, proceed to step S5;

[0096] Step S5: the electric field generating device operates in a strong mode (within a second voltage range), and the air supply device operates in a normal mode (within a second wind speed range);

[0097] Step S6: Determine whether the temperature of the food to be thawed is greater than the second temperature threshold, if so, proceed to step S7, if not, return to step S5;

[0098] Step S7: When thawing is completed, the electric field generating device and the air supply device are stopped, and the human-machine interaction device emits a reminder sound.

[0099] The beneficial effects of the above control logic are: when the temperature of the food to be thawed is lower than -5°C, that is, when the temperature of the food is still lower than the maximum ice crystal formation zone of the food, the air convection speed inside the thawing drawer is mainly increased through the air supply device, thereby accelerating the heat exchange between the food and the ambient air and achieving rapid heating of the food; when the temperature of the food to be thawed is greater than -5°C, but has not reached the final suitable temperature for thawing the food, electric field penetration thawing is mainly used to promote uniform thawing of the food. This method accelerates the thawing of the food through the cooperation of the electric field and the fan, while avoiding unnecessary energy consumption.

[0100] like Figure 8 As shown, this embodiment also provides a controller.

[0101] An embodiment of the present application also provides a controller, comprising at least one processor and a memory for communicating with the at least one processor; the memory stores instructions that can be executed by the at least one processor, and the instructions are executed by the at least one processor so that the at least one processor can execute the thawing method as described in the above embodiment.

[0102] The controller 800 of this embodiment includes one or more processors 801 and a memory 802. Figure 8 In the figure, a processor 801 and a memory 802 are taken as an example.

[0103] The processor 801 and the memory 802 may be connected via a bus or other means. Figure 8 The example of connecting through bus is taken in the following.

[0104] The memory 802, as a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, can be used to store non-transitory software programs and non-transitory computer executable programs. In addition, the memory 802 may include a high-speed random access memory, and may also include a non-transitory memory, such as at least one disk storage device, a flash memory device, or other non-transitory solid-state storage device. In some embodiments, the memory 802 may optionally include a memory 802 remotely arranged relative to the processor 801, and these remote memories may be connected to the controller 800 via a network. Examples of the above-mentioned network include, but are not limited to, the Internet, an intranet, a local area network, a mobile communication network, and combinations thereof.

[0105] An embodiment of the present application also provides a refrigerator, comprising the thawing device or controller of the above embodiment.

[0106] It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that all or some of the steps and systems in the disclosed method above may be implemented as software, firmware, hardware and appropriate combinations thereof. Some physical components or all physical components may be implemented as software executed by a processor, such as a central processing unit, a digital signal processor or a microprocessor, or may be implemented as hardware, or may be implemented as an integrated circuit, such as an application specific integrated circuit. Such software may be distributed on a computer-readable medium, which may include a computer storage medium (or a non-transitory medium) and a communication medium (or a temporary medium). As known to those skilled in the art, the term computer storage medium includes volatile and non-volatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storing information (such as computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data). Computer storage media include, but are not limited to, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memory technologies, CD-ROM, digital versatile disks (DVD) or other optical disk storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tapes, disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that may be used to store desired information and may be accessed by a computer. Furthermore, it is well known to those skilled in the art that communication media typically embodies computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data in a modulated data signal such as a carrier wave or other transport mechanism, and may include any information delivery media.

[0107] The above is a specific description of the preferred implementation of the present application, but the present application is not limited to the above-mentioned implementation mode. Technical personnel familiar with the field can also make various equivalent deformations or substitutions without violating the spirit of the present application. These equivalent deformations or substitutions are all included in the scope defined by the claims of the present application.

Claims

1. Defrosting device, It is characterized in that include: A thawing drawer, wherein an upper cover is provided at an open portion of the thawing drawer; An air supply device, disposed on the upper cover plate, for supplying air to the interior of the thawing drawer; An electric field generating device, used for generating an electric field into the inside of the thawing drawer, the electric field generating device comprising a plate electrode for contacting the food to be thawed, the plate electrode being arranged at the bottom of the thawing drawer; a controller, for periodically acquiring the temperature of the food to be thawed during the thawing process, and for controlling the electric field generating device to operate within a first voltage range and the air supply device to operate within a first wind speed range when the temperature of the food to be thawed is less than a first temperature threshold, controlling the electric field generating device to operate within a second voltage range and the air supply device to operate within a second wind speed range when the temperature of the food to be thawed is less than a second temperature threshold and greater than the first temperature threshold, and stopping the air supply device and the electric field generating device when the temperature of the food to be thawed is greater than the second temperature threshold; The minimum wind speed in the first wind speed range is greater than the maximum wind speed in the second wind speed range, the maximum voltage in the first voltage range is less than the minimum voltage in the second voltage range, and the first temperature threshold is less than the second temperature threshold.

2. The thawing device according to claim 1, It is characterized in that A heat dissipation fin is arranged at the bottom of the plate-type electrode, and the heat dissipation fin is located outside the thawing drawer.

3. The thawing device according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The thawing device also includes a human-computer interaction device, which is used to display at least one of a reference range of thawing time, receive a set thawing time, and issue a thawing completion prompt.

4. Thawing method, It is characterized in that Applicable to the thawing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, the thawing method comprises: Periodically obtaining the temperature of the food to be thawed during the thawing process; When the temperature of the food to be thawed is lower than a first temperature threshold, controlling the electric field generating device to operate within a first voltage range, and controlling the air supply device to operate within a first wind speed range; When the temperature of the food to be thawed is lower than a second temperature threshold and higher than the first temperature threshold, controlling the electric field generating device to operate within a second voltage range, and controlling the air supply device to operate within a second wind speed range; When the temperature of the food to be thawed is greater than the second temperature threshold, stopping the air supply device and the electric field generating device; The minimum wind speed in the first wind speed range is greater than the maximum wind speed in the second wind speed range, the maximum voltage in the first voltage range is less than the minimum voltage in the second voltage range, and the first temperature threshold is less than the second temperature threshold.

5. The thawing method according to claim 4, It is characterized in that The method further comprises: Determining at least one of the type, thickness and weight of the food to be thawed by a sensor; The second temperature threshold is determined according to at least one of the type, thickness and weight of the food to be thawed.

6. The thawing method according to claim 4, It is characterized in that The method further comprises: Determine at least one of the type, thickness and weight of the food to be thawed by a sensor, and determine a reference range of thawing time according to at least one of the type, thickness and weight of the food to be thawed; receiving a set target thawing time, wherein the target thawing time is within the thawing time reference range; During the thawing process, the remaining thawing time is determined according to the target thawing time, and the voltage of the electric field generating device and the wind speed of the air supply device are adjusted according to the remaining thawing time so that the food to be thawed can be heated to the second temperature threshold within the target thawing time.

7. The thawing method according to claim 6, It is characterized in that The step of adjusting the voltage of the electric field generating device and the wind speed of the air supply device according to the remaining thawing time comprises: When the temperature of the food to be thawed is lower than the first temperature threshold, determining a first adjustment coefficient according to the remaining thawing time, the temperature of the food to be thawed and the first temperature threshold; The voltage of the electric field generating device is adjusted within a first voltage range and the air supply speed of the air supply device is adjusted within a first wind speed range according to the first adjustment coefficient.

8. The thawing method according to claim 6, It is characterized in that The step of adjusting the voltage of the electric field generating device and the wind speed of the air supply device according to the remaining thawing time comprises: When the temperature of the food to be thawed is greater than the first temperature threshold and less than the second temperature threshold, determining a second adjustment coefficient according to the remaining thawing time, the temperature of the food to be thawed and the second temperature threshold; The voltage of the electric field generating device is adjusted within the second voltage range according to the second adjustment coefficient, and the air supply speed of the air supply device is adjusted within the second wind speed range.

9. Controller, It is characterized in that It comprises at least one processor and a memory for communicating with the at least one processor; the memory stores instructions that can be executed by the at least one processor, and the instructions are executed by the at least one processor so that the at least one processor can execute the thawing method as described in any one of claims 4 to 8.

10. Refrigerator, It is characterized in that It comprises the thawing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 or the controller according to claim 9.

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