Unfreezing device, unfreezing method, controller and refrigerator

Abstract

The invention discloses an unfreezing device, an unfreezing method, a controller and a refrigerator, and the unfreezing device comprises an unfreezing drawer used for storing to-be-unfrozen food materials; the electric field generating device is used for applying voltage to the food materials to be unfrozen, and the electric field generating device comprises a first electrode plate and a second electrode plate; the controller is used for responding to an unfreezing instruction, controlling the electric field generating device to apply voltage to the to-be-unfrozen food material under the condition that the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate are in contact with the to-be-unfrozen food material, and determining the initial electrical impedance of the to-be-unfrozen food material; the control device is also used for detecting the real-time electrical impedance of the food material to be unfrozen in the unfreezing process, determining the change value of the real-time electrical impedance relative to the initial electrical impedance, and controlling the electric field generation device to stop applying the voltage when the change value is greater than or equal to a preset electrical impedance threshold value. According to the thawing device, the thawing process is accurately judged, and the problem that the refrigerator cannot judge that thawing is completed and intelligently stop thawing is solved.

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 meat ingredients can preserve the nutrients in the meat 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, an electric field generating device is set in the cold storage room in the related art to promote the polarization of water molecules in the meat through the electric field, generate heat through friction, accelerate heat transfer, and speed up the thawing speed of the meat.

[0003] In daily use, the relevant technology uses temperature detectors to infer the progress of meat thawing, but this solution is easily interfered by other factors. For example, the temperature at the center and edge of the meat ingredients is different, and the thawing progress of the thicker and thinner parts of the meat ingredients is different, so that the refrigerator cannot accurately determine the completion of thawing and intelligently stop thawing. Summary of the invention

[0004] The embodiments of the present application provide a thawing device, a thawing method, a controller and a refrigerator, which determine the thawing progress during the thawing process and intelligently stop thawing after the thawing is completed.

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

[0006] Defrosting drawer, used to store food to be thawed;

[0007] An electric field generating device, used for applying voltage to the food to be thawed, the electric field generating device comprising a first electrode plate and a second electrode plate;

[0008] The controller is used to control the electric field generating device to apply voltage to the food to be thawed and determine the initial electrical impedance of the food to be thawed in response to a thawing instruction when the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate are in contact with the food to be thawed; and is also used to detect the real-time electrical impedance of the food to be thawed during the thawing process, and determine the change value of the real-time electrical impedance relative to the initial electrical impedance. When the change value is greater than or equal to a preset electrical impedance threshold, the electric field generating device is controlled to stop applying voltage.

[0009] In some embodiments, the thawing device includes a driving device, and the driving device is used to control the relative movement of the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate so that the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate contact the food to be thawed.

[0010] In some embodiments, the thawing device includes a sensor;

[0011] The first electrode plate and the second electrode plate are arranged vertically, and the sensor is arranged on the first electrode plate to detect whether the first electrode plate contacts the food to be thawed;

[0012] Alternatively, the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate are distributed left and right, and the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate are both provided with the sensor for detecting whether the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate are in contact with the food to be thawed.

[0013] In some embodiments, an edible conductive film is disposed on the surface of the first electrode plate and / or the second electrode plate.

[0014] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a thawing method, which is applied to the thawing device of the embodiment of the first aspect, and the thawing method comprises:

[0015] In response to a thawing instruction, when the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate are in contact with the food to be thawed, controlling the electric field generating device to apply a voltage to the food to be thawed, and determining an initial electrical impedance of the food to be thawed;

[0016] The real-time electrical impedance of the food to be thawed during the thawing process is detected, and a change value of the real-time electrical impedance relative to the initial electrical impedance is determined. When the change value is greater than or equal to a preset electrical impedance threshold, the electric field generating device is controlled to stop applying voltage.

[0017] In some embodiments, the thawing device further comprises a sensor, and the sensor is arranged on the first electrode plate and / or the second electrode plate; in response to the thawing instruction, when the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate are in contact with the food to be thawed, controlling the electric field generating device to apply a voltage to the food to be thawed comprises:

[0018] When receiving a thawing instruction, determining through the sensor that the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate are in contact with the food to be thawed;

[0019] Determining that the thawing drawer is in a closed state;

[0020] The electric field generating device is controlled to apply a voltage of a preset voltage value to the food to be thawed.

[0021] In some embodiments, the thawing device further includes a driving device and a sensor, and the sensor is disposed on the first electrode plate and / or the second electrode plate; in response to the thawing instruction, when the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate are in contact with the food to be thawed, controlling the electric field generating device to apply a voltage to the food to be thawed comprises:

[0022] When receiving a thawing instruction, the driving device is started to control the relative movement of the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate, and the sensor determines that the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate are in contact with the food to be thawed, and the driving device is stopped;

[0023] Determining that the thawing drawer is in a closed state;

[0024] The electric field generating device is controlled to apply a voltage of a preset voltage value to the food to be thawed.

[0025] In some embodiments, after determining the initial electrical impedance of the food to be thawed, the thawing method further includes:

[0026] Determining the type of the food to be thawed according to the initial electrical impedance and the first database;

[0027] Determining a preset electrical impedance threshold according to the type of the food to be thawed and a second database;

[0028] The first database is used to store the correspondence between the initial electrical impedance and the type of food; the second database is used to store the correspondence between the type of food and the preset electrical impedance threshold.

[0029] In some embodiments, the thawing device further comprises a driving device, and after controlling the electric field generating device to stop applying voltage, the thawing method further comprises:

[0030] The driving device is started to control the first electrode plate and / or the second electrode plate to be away from the thawed food.

[0031] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present application 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 embodiment of the second aspect.

[0032] In a fourth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a refrigerator, comprising the thawing device of the embodiment of the first aspect or the controller of the embodiment of the third aspect.

[0033] The thawing device, thawing method, controller and refrigerator of the embodiment of the present application have at least the following beneficial effects: in the process of thawing the food in the thawing drawer, the voltage is applied to the food by controlling the electric field generating device to determine the initial electrical impedance of the food, the real-time electrical impedance of the food during the thawing process is detected, and the change value of the real-time electrical impedance relative to the initial electrical impedance is determined. When the change value is greater than or equal to the preset electrical impedance threshold, the electric field generating device is controlled to stop applying the voltage; the control method of the embodiment of the present application uses the change of the electrical impedance of the food to control the thawing process of the food during the thawing process, detects the electrical impedance of the food in real time and determines the change value of the electrical impedance, compares the change value with the preset threshold, and thus intelligently determines the thawing process. Therefore, the thawing device provided by the embodiment of the present application accurately determines the progress of the thawing of the food, and solves the problem that the refrigerator cannot accurately determine the completion of thawing and intelligently stop thawing when judging the thawing process based on detection parameters such as temperature. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0034] Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of a thawing device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0035] Figure 2 It is a module structure diagram of a thawing device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0036] Figure 3 It is a planar structural diagram of a thawing device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0037] Figure 4 is a flow chart of a thawing method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0038] Figure 5 is a flow chart of a method for controlling an electrode plate to apply voltage to food provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0039] Figure 6 is a flow chart of another method for controlling an electrode plate to apply voltage to food provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0040] Figure 7 is a flow chart of a method for determining a preset electrical impedance threshold provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0041] Figure 8 It is a flow chart of an intelligent stopping and thawing method provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0042] Fig. 9 It is an overall flow chart of a thawing method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0043] Fig.10 It is a structural schematic diagram of a controller provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0044] 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.

[0045] 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.

[0046] 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).

[0047] During the thawing process of food, the temperature gradually rises, providing good conditions for bacterial reproduction. If the thawing time is too long or the thawing temperature is insufficient, it may cause bacterial growth, increasing the risk of food poisoning or food spoilage; the thawing process also affects the quality of food. If the thawing time is too long, the food may lose moisture, resulting in a dry texture or a poor taste; in addition, too long thawing time may also cause the nutritional value of the food to decrease.

[0048] In the related art, temperature detectors are generally used to infer the progress of meat thawing, but in fact, temperature detection usually only measures the surface of the food, while the temperature inside the food may be different from the surface. Especially for larger or thicker food, the thawing speed inside may be slower than the outside, resulting in the temperature detection being unable to accurately reflect the actual thawing progress; the temperature distribution inside the food may be uneven, especially for larger block food. Since the thawing speed of different parts may be different, relying solely on temperature detection to monitor the overall thawing progress may not be accurate; in addition, the thawing process of different food, such as eggs, meat, vegetables, etc., may be affected by the characteristics of the food.

[0049] Based on this, the embodiments of the present application provide a thawing device, a thawing method, a controller and a refrigerator, which can judge the thawing process through the impedance change value of the food material during the thawing process, and intelligently stop thawing after the thawing is completed.

[0050] First of all, impedance refers to the degree of resistance to alternating current in a circuit. It is a comprehensive index including resistance and reactance. In an alternating current circuit, the ability of a medium to impede the passage of current is called impedance. In addition, the change in impedance can reflect the progress and state of food material thawing. The food material to be thawed is used as the resistance in the overall circuit, and its moisture content significantly affects the conductivity and impedance value. The more the moisture content, the smaller the impedance value; conversely, the less the moisture content, the larger the impedance value. During the thawing process of the food material, the moisture content changes, and the impedance value of the food material also changes accordingly. Thus, the technical solution in the present application is obtained, which judges the thawing process by monitoring the impedance change value of the food material and intelligently stops thawing after the thawing is completed.

[0051] The thawing device, thawing method, controller and refrigerator will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings:

[0052] Refer to Figure 1 、 Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, a thawing device provided by an embodiment of the present application includes: a thawing drawer 100 for storing food materials to be thawed; an electric field generating device 200 for applying a voltage to the food materials to be thawed, and the electric field generating device 200 includes a first electrode plate 210 and a second electrode plate 220; a controller 300 for responding to a thawing instruction, when the first electrode plate 210 and the second electrode plate 220 contact the food materials to be thawed, controlling the electric field generating device 200 to apply a voltage to the food materials to be thawed, and determining the initial impedance of the food materials to be thawed; and further for detecting the real-time impedance of the food materials to be thawed during the thawing process, and determining the change value of the real-time impedance relative to the initial impedance, and when the change value is greater than or equal to a preset impedance threshold, controlling the electric field generating device 200 to stop applying the voltage.

[0053] The thawing drawer 100 has a certain volume for storing food materials to be thawed. The thawing drawer 100 can be made of colorless transparent ABS material, so that the state of the food materials in the thawing drawer 100 can be seen clearly. The thawing device further includes an operation panel. Through the operation panel, the user can adjust the first electrode plate 210 and / or the second electrode plate 220 to contact the food materials to be thawed until they fit the food materials; the user can also input a thawing instruction on the operation panel to use the thawing device to thaw the food materials to be thawed.

[0054] When food is put into the thawing drawer 100, the controller 300 receives a thawing instruction, determines that the first electrode plate 210 and the second electrode plate 220 are in contact with the food to be thawed, and controls the electric field generating device 200 to apply voltage to the food to be thawed, promotes polarization of water molecules, generates heat through friction, accelerates heat transfer, and releases a large amount of high-energy ions to exchange heat with the food, thereby accelerating thawing. At this time, the thawed food acts as a resistor in the overall circuit, and the electrical impedance value of the food at this time is measured through the relationship between voltage and current; during the thawing process, the electrical impedance of the food to be thawed changes, and the controller 300 is responsible for monitoring the real-time electrical impedance of the food to be thawed, and calculating the change value between the real-time electrical impedance and the initial electrical impedance. When the real-time electrical impedance change value is greater than or equal to the preset electrical impedance threshold, the controller 300 will stop the electric field generating device 200 from applying voltage, which means that the food to be thawed has reached the preset thawing degree and no longer needs to continue to apply the electric field.

[0055] The thawing device provided by the present application can realize automatic thawing process control of the food to be thawed. It uses the electric field generating device 200 to apply voltage to the food to be thawed, and determines the thawing degree by monitoring the change of electrical impedance, and stops the thawing process when the preset degree is reached.

[0056] In some embodiments, the thawing device includes a driving device 400, and the driving device 400 includes an electrically driven component, such as a motor driving the electrode plate to move along the guide rail. After starting the driving device 400, the first electrode plate 210 and the second electrode plate 220 are controlled to move relative to each other through the guide rails on both sides, so that the first electrode plate 210 and the second electrode plate 220 contact the food to be thawed until the first electrode plate 210 and the second electrode plate 220 are both in contact with the food to be thawed. It is understandable that the actual operation may vary due to different settings in the thawing device, and the embodiments of the present application are not limited to this.

[0057] In some embodiments, the thawing device includes a sensor 500; the first electrode plate 210 and the second electrode plate 220 are distributed up and down, and the sensor 500 is arranged on the first electrode plate 210, and is used to detect whether the first electrode plate 210 is in contact with the food to be thawed; or, the first electrode plate 210 and the second electrode plate 220 are distributed left and right, and the first electrode plate 210 and the second electrode plate 220 are both provided with sensors 500, and are used to detect whether the first electrode plate 210 and the second electrode plate 220 are in contact with the food to be thawed.

[0058] When the first electrode plate 210 and the second electrode plate 220 are arranged to be distributed up and down, the sensor 500 is arranged on the first electrode plate 210. When the food to be thawed is placed on the second electrode plate 220 in the thawing drawer 100, the controller 300 starts the driving device 400, and the first electrode plate 210 descends through the guide rails on both sides. The sensor 500 can be an infrared sensor, which detects the distance between the first electrode plate 210 and the food to be thawed through the infrared sensor; the sensor 500 can be a contact sensor, which detects whether the first electrode plate 210 is in contact with the food to be thawed through the contact sensor.

[0059] When the first electrode plate 210 and the second electrode plate 220 are arranged to be distributed on the left and right, the first electrode plate 210 and the second electrode plate 220 are both provided with sensors 500. When the food to be thawed is placed in the thawing drawer 100, the controller 300 starts the driving device 400, and the first electrode plate 210 and the second electrode plate 220 move relative to each other through the guide rail. The sensor 500 may be an infrared sensor, which detects the distance between the first electrode plate 210 and the second electrode plate 220 and the food to be thawed respectively through the infrared sensor; the sensor 500 may be a contact sensor, which detects whether the first electrode plate 210 and the second electrode plate 220 are in contact with the food to be thawed through the contact sensor.

[0060] It should be noted that the present application uses the sensor 500 to bring the first electrode plate 210 and the second electrode plate 220 closer to the food to be thawed, and also ensures that the first electrode plate 210 and the second electrode plate 220 are in contact with the food to be thawed.

[0061] In some embodiments, an edible conductive film is disposed on the surface of the first electrode plate 210 and / or the second electrode plate 220, and the conductive film can be a conductive oil gel composite film composed of paraffin, oil, and activated carbon. The above scheme is only an embodiment provided by the present application, and the present application does not limit this.

[0062] Reference Figure 4 As shown, Figure 4 A thawing method provided in an embodiment of the present application is applied to a thawing device, the thawing device comprising a thawing drawer 100, an electric field generating device 200 and a controller 300; the thawing method may include but is not limited to the following steps:

[0063] Step S410, in response to the thawing instruction, when the first electrode plate 210 and the second electrode plate 220 are in contact with the food to be thawed, controlling the electric field generating device 200 to apply voltage to the food to be thawed, and determining the initial electrical impedance of the food to be thawed;

[0064] In some embodiments, when the user opens the thawing space and places frozen food in the thawing drawer 100, the controller 300 detects whether the food in the thawing drawer 100 has been placed in the thawing area. When it is detected that the food in the thawing drawer 100 is not placed in the appropriate area, a prompt message will be sent to the user; when the controller 300 detects that the food in the thawing drawer 100 is placed correctly, it responds to the thawing instruction and controls the electric field generating device 200 to apply voltage to the food to be thawed.

[0065] It should be noted that the user inputs a thawing instruction on the control panel and uses the thawing drawer 100 to thaw the food to be thawed. The control panel is set at the front or top of the thawing device. Multiple buttons can be set on the control panel to help the user start and pause the instruction. It is understandable that the actual operation may vary due to different settings of different thawing devices, and the embodiments of the present application are not limited to this.

[0066] Furthermore, the electric field generating device 200 includes a first electrode plate 210 and a second electrode plate 220, and the first electrode plate 210 and the second electrode plate 220 apply a voltage of a preset voltage value to the food to be thawed, and form an electric field in the area where the food to be thawed is located. Under the action of the electric field, the melting of ice crystals is accelerated from both the surface and the center of the food to be thawed, and the thawing is accelerated in all directions.

[0067] In addition, when the first electrode plate 210 and the second electrode plate 220 are in contact with the food to be thawed, according to the voltage and current values ​​applied by the first electrode plate 210 and the second electrode plate 220, the food to be thawed acts as a resistor in the overall circuit, and its moisture content significantly affects the conductivity and impedance value. The higher the moisture content, the smaller the impedance value; conversely, the larger the impedance value, the initial electrical impedance value of the food to be thawed is calculated. It should be noted that the specific detection process and parameter settings may vary due to different test requirements and equipment. The above is a basic description, and the actual operation process will be adjusted and optimized according to specific circumstances.

[0068] Step S420, detecting the real-time impedance of the food to be thawed during the thawing process, and determining the change value of the real-time impedance relative to the initial impedance. When the change value is greater than or equal to the preset impedance threshold, controlling the electric field generating device 200 to stop applying voltage.

[0069] In some embodiments, during the thawing process of food, due to the melting of ice crystals inside the food and the destruction of some cell membranes and tissues, some juice loss will inevitably occur. The extent of juice loss is related to the type of food, food quality, thawing time, and thawing method, and the juice loss also has a certain relationship with the change in food electrical impedance caused by it.

[0070] According to certain embodiments, during the process of applying voltage to food materials by the first electrode plate 210 and the second electrode plate 220 to thaw, as the thawing process proceeds, the controller 300 continuously detects the real-time electrical impedance of the thawed food materials, calculates the real-time electrical impedance according to Ohm's law by applying the voltage and current to the thawed food materials, and then calculates the change value between the real-time electrical impedance and the initial electrical impedance. At the same time, the controller 300 compares the real-time change value with a preset electrical impedance threshold value. If the real-time change value is greater than or equal to the preset electrical impedance threshold value, it indicates that the food materials to be thawed have reached a preset thawing degree. Once it is determined that the food materials to be thawed have reached a preset thawing degree, the controller 300 issues a stop command to stop the electric field generating device 200 from applying voltage.

[0071] refer to Figure 5 As shown, Figure 5 A method for controlling the first electrode plate 210 and the second electrode plate 220 to apply voltage to food to be thawed is provided in an embodiment of the present application and is applied to a thawing device, wherein the thawing device further includes a sensor 500. The method may include but is not limited to the following steps:

[0072] Step S510, when a thawing instruction is received, the sensor 500 determines whether the first electrode plate 210 and the second electrode plate 220 are in contact with the food to be thawed;

[0073] When the controller 300 receives a thawing instruction, it determines through the sensor 500 that the first electrode plate 210 and the second electrode plate 220 are in contact with the food to be thawed. The sensor 500 may be an infrared sensor, which emits an infrared beam and receives reflected light. The infrared sensor generates a corresponding output signal based on the received light. The controller 300 determines the contact status of the first electrode plate 210 and the second electrode plate 220 with the food to be thawed based on the output signal.

[0074] Step S520, determining that the thawing drawer 100 is in a closed state;

[0075] In some embodiments, when the controller 300 determines that the first electrode plate 210 and the second electrode plate 220 are in contact with the food to be thawed, the controller 300 can detect the closed state of the thawing drawer 100 through the contact sensor. When the thawing drawer 100 is completely closed, the contact points between the contact sensors will be closed, and the contact sensor sends a signal to the controller 300 that the safety drawer is in a closed state. The controller 300 then determines that the safety drawer is in a closed state to ensure that the food is thawed in a closed state, which has a better thawing effect and also prevents microorganisms from attaching to the frozen food during the thawing process. In addition to the contact sensor, a magnetic sensor and an optical sensor can also be used to determine whether the safety drawer is in a closed state, and the embodiments of the present application are not limited here.

[0076] Step S530, controlling the electric field generating device 200 to apply a voltage of a preset voltage value to the food to be thawed.

[0077] In some embodiments, the electric field generating device 200 includes a first electrode plate 210 and a second electrode plate 220. The first electrode plate 210 and the second electrode plate 220 apply a voltage of a preset voltage value to the food to be thawed, and form an electric field in the area where the food to be thawed is located. The electric field promotes polarization of water molecules, generates heat through friction, and accelerates heat transfer; it releases a large number of high-energy ions to exchange heat with the food, thereby accelerating thawing.

[0078] refer to Figure 6 As shown, Figure 6 Another method for controlling the first electrode plate 210 and the second electrode plate 220 to apply voltage to the food to be thawed provided in an embodiment of the present application is applied to a thawing device, the thawing device also includes a sensor 500 and a driving device 400; the method may include but is not limited to the following steps:

[0079] Step S610, when receiving a thawing instruction, starting the driving device 400, controlling the relative movement of the first electrode plate 210 and the second electrode plate 220, determining through the sensor 500 that the first electrode plate 210 and the second electrode plate 220 are in contact with the food to be thawed, and stopping the driving device 400;

[0080] When the controller 300 receives the thawing instruction input by the user through the control panel, the driving device 400 is started to control the relative movement of the first electrode plate 210 and the second electrode plate 220, and the distance between the first electrode plate 210 and the second electrode plate 220 is controlled by the sensor 500.

[0081] Wherein, when the first electrode plate 210 and the second electrode plate 220 are arranged to be distributed up and down, the sensor 500 is arranged on the first electrode plate 210, and the food to be thawed is placed on the second electrode plate 220 in the thawing drawer 100, the sensor 500 may be an infrared sensor, the infrared sensor emits an infrared beam and receives the reflected light, when the food to be thawed contacts the first electrode plate 210, the infrared beam will be blocked, the reflected light will be received by the infrared sensor, and the infrared sensor will generate a corresponding output signal according to the received light, if the food to be thawed contacts the first electrode plate 210 normally, the infrared sensor will output a signal indicating contact, if the food to be thawed does not contact the first electrode plate 210 or the contact is poor, the infrared sensor will output a signal indicating contact. The controller 300 determines the contact between the food to be thawed and the first electrode plate 210 according to the output signal of the infrared sensor; the sensor 500 may be a contact sensor, which detects the contact between the first electrode plate 210 and the food to be thawed through physical contact or proximity sensing principle, and generates a corresponding output signal according to the detected contact situation. If the first electrode plate 210 is in normal contact with the food to be thawed, the contact sensor outputs a signal indicating contact; if the first electrode plate 210 is not in contact with the food or the contact is poor, the contact sensor outputs a signal indicating abnormal contact, and the controller 300 determines the contact between the first electrode plate 210 and the food to be thawed according to the output signal of the contact sensor. After the controller 300 determines that the first electrode plate 210 is in normal contact with the food to be thawed, it turns off the driving device 400 and stops the relative movement between the first electrode plate 210 and the second electrode plate 220.

[0082] Furthermore, when the first electrode plate 210 and the second electrode plate 220 are arranged to be distributed on the left and right, the first electrode plate 210 and the second electrode plate 220 are both provided with a sensor 500. When the food to be thawed is placed in the thawing drawer 100, the sensor 500 may be an infrared sensor. The infrared sensor may emit an infrared beam and receive reflected light. When the first electrode plate 210 and the second electrode plate 220 are in contact with the food to be thawed, the infrared beam may be blocked, and the reflected light may be received by the infrared sensor. The infrared sensor may generate a corresponding output signal according to the received light. If the food to be thawed is in normal contact with the first electrode plate 210 and the second electrode plate 220, the infrared sensor may output a signal indicating contact. If the food to be thawed is not in contact with the first electrode plate 210 and the second electrode plate 220 or is in poor contact, the infrared sensor may output a signal indicating non-contact. The controller 300 determines the contact between the food to be thawed and the first electrode plate 210 and the second electrode plate 220 according to the output signal of the infrared sensor; the sensor 500 may be a contact sensor, which detects the contact between the first electrode plate 210 and the second electrode plate 220 and the food to be thawed through physical contact or proximity sensing principle, and generates a corresponding output signal according to the detected contact situation. If the first electrode plate 210 and the second electrode plate 220 are in normal contact with the food to be thawed, the contact sensor outputs a signal indicating contact; if the first electrode plate 210 and the second electrode plate 220 are not in contact with the food or the contact is poor, the contact sensor outputs a signal indicating abnormal contact, and the controller 300 determines the contact between the first electrode plate 210 and the second electrode plate 220 and the food to be thawed according to the output signal of the contact sensor. After the controller 300 determines that the first electrode plate 210 is in normal contact with the food to be thawed, it turns off the driving device 400 and stops the relative movement of the first electrode plate 210 and the second electrode plate 220.

[0083] Step S620, determining that the thawing drawer 100 is in a closed state;

[0084] Step S630, controlling the electric field generating device 200 to apply a voltage of a preset voltage value to the food to be thawed.

[0085] It should be noted that this embodiment provides another method for controlling the first electrode plate 210 and the second electrode plate 220 to apply voltage to the food to be thawed, wherein step S620 and step S630 and their specific embodiments are basically the same as step S520 and step S530 and their specific embodiments in the above-mentioned method for controlling the first electrode plate 210 and the second electrode plate 220 to apply voltage to the food to be thawed, and will not be repeated here.

[0086] Reference Figure 7 As shown, Figure 7A method for determining a preset electrical impedance threshold provided in an embodiment of the present application is applied to a thawing device, the thawing device comprising a thawing drawer 100, an electric field generating device 200 and a controller 300; the method for determining a preset electrical impedance threshold may include but is not limited to the following steps:

[0087] Step S710, determining the type of food to be thawed according to the initial electrical impedance and the first database;

[0088] In some embodiments, basic impedance Z values ​​of ingredients of different types and masses are obtained through multiple tests, and multiple groups of basic impedance Z values ​​of each group of weight ingredients of each type are obtained. The average is taken to obtain the initial impedance of each group of weight ingredients of each type, and a first database is established according to the type and the corresponding initial impedance.

[0089] Furthermore, the controller 300 determines the most suitable food model in the first database according to the obtained initial electrical impedance of the thawed food, and obtains the corresponding food type.

[0090] Step S720: determining a preset electrical impedance threshold according to the type of food to be thawed and the second database.

[0091] In some embodiments, the thawing of the food to -4°C is considered complete. The electrical impedance values ​​of the food thawed to -4°C are obtained by multiple tests for different types and different weights of food, and the change values ​​of multiple groups of electrical impedance values ​​of each group of weight food thawed to -4°C are obtained, and the average is taken to obtain the preset electrical impedance threshold value of each group of weight food under each type, and a second database is established according to the type and the corresponding preset electrical impedance threshold value.

[0092] Furthermore, the controller 300 determines the most suitable food model in the second database according to the type of thawed food obtained from the first database, and obtains the change value of the electrical impedance when the type of food is thawed to the final temperature of -4°C.

[0093] Reference Figure 8 As shown, Figure 8 An intelligent thawing stop method provided in an embodiment of the present application is applied to a thawing device, the thawing device includes a thawing drawer 100, an electric field generating device 200 and a controller 300, and the thawing device also includes a driving device 400; the intelligent thawing stop method may include but is not limited to the following steps:

[0094] Step S810, when the change value is greater than or equal to the preset electrical impedance threshold, the electric field generating device 200 is controlled to stop applying voltage;

[0095] In some embodiments, when the impedance change value recorded by the controller 300 is greater than or equal to a preset impedance threshold, it means that the thawing is completed at this time. The controller 300 controls the electric field generating device 200 to stop applying voltage to the completely thawed food, and the electric field is also turned off.

[0096] Step S820, starting the driving device 400 to control the first electrode plate 210 and / or the second electrode plate 220 to be away from the thawed food.

[0097] In some embodiments, after the controller 300 controls the electric field generating device 200 to stop applying voltage, the driving device 400 is restarted to control the first electrode plate 210 and / or the second electrode plate 220 to be away from the thawed food, so that the user can take out the thawed food.

[0098] Reference Fig. 9 As shown, Fig. 9 The embodiment of the present application provides an overall process of a thawing method, which is applied to a thawing device, wherein the thawing device includes a thawing drawer 100, an electric field generating device 200 and a controller 300, and the thawing device also includes a driving device 400 and a sensor 500; the thawing method may include but is not limited to the following steps:

[0099] Step S910, when receiving a thawing instruction, starting the driving device 400, controlling the relative movement of the first electrode plate 210 and the second electrode plate 220, determining through the sensor 500 that the first electrode plate 210 and the second electrode plate 220 are in contact with the food to be thawed, and stopping the driving device 400;

[0100] Step S920, determining that the thawing drawer 100 is in a closed state;

[0101] Step S930, controlling the electric field generating device 200 to apply a voltage of a preset voltage value to the food to be thawed;

[0102] Step S940, obtaining the initial electrical impedance of the food to be thawed according to the voltage and current applied to the food to be thawed;

[0103] Step S950, determining the type of food to be thawed according to the initial electrical impedance and the first database;

[0104] Step S960, determining a preset electrical impedance threshold according to the type of food to be thawed and the second database;

[0105] Step S970, recording the real-time electrical impedance of the food, and determining the change value of the real-time electrical impedance relative to the initial electrical impedance;

[0106] Step S980, when the change value is greater than the preset electrical impedance threshold, the electric field generating device 200 is controlled to stop applying voltage;

[0107] Step S990, starting the driving device 400 to control the first electrode plate 210 and / or the second electrode plate 220 to be away from the thawed food.

[0108] The overall process of the thawing method of this application is described in detail below through an example.

[0109] Take steak as an example. Steak contains high-quality nutrients such as protein, fat, vitamin B, iron and zinc. It is also a rich source of energy that the body needs. Steak is easy to deteriorate at room temperature, and refrigeration can extend its shelf life. Proper refrigeration can prevent bacterial growth and food poisoning. Refrigeration can also slow down the activity of enzymes, thereby reducing the loss of nutrients in food. In addition, steak can maintain its meat quality, taste and flavor during the refrigeration process.

[0110] Nowadays, the more common way to refrigerate steak is to put the steak in a sealed freezer bag or freezer box, make sure the steak is wrapped tightly, and remove excess air. Put it in the freezer of the refrigerator and bring the temperature to below -18°C. In this case, the steak can be kept in a frozen state for a longer time, usually 3 to 12 months, depending on the freshness of the steak and the quality of the packaging. As mentioned above, steak is easy to deteriorate at room temperature, and excessive thawing will cause the steak to deteriorate and bacteria to grow. When cooking steak, it is necessary to thaw the steak in advance and accurately judge the thawing process. Through this application, the original quality of the steak can be maintained to a great extent, and the thawing is completed accurately, and the thawing can be stopped intelligently.

[0111] After the user puts the steak to be thawed into the thawing device, the user inputs the thawing instruction on the control panel. When the controller 300 receives the thawing instruction, the driving device 400 is started to make the first electrode plate 210 and the second electrode plate 220 move relative to each other. The sensor 500 detects whether the first electrode plate 210 and the second electrode plate 220 are in contact with the steak to be thawed, and stops the driving device 400 when they are in contact. It is determined that the thawing drawer 100 is in a closed state to ensure that the steak is thawed in a closed environment. The electric field generating device 200 is controlled to apply voltage to the steak to be thawed, and an electric field is formed in the area where the steak is located to thaw the steak in all directions. According to the applied voltage, and current, calculate the initial electrical impedance of the steak to be thawed, and determine the preset electrical impedance threshold of the steak to be thawed by referring to the database, wherein some juice will be lost in the thawing process of the steak, causing the electrical impedance value of the steak to change. The controller 300 is responsible for real-time recording the electrical impedance of the steak during the thawing process, and calculating the change value of the real-time electrical impedance relative to the initial electrical impedance. When the change value is greater than the preset electrical impedance threshold, the electric field generating device 200 is controlled to stop applying voltage, and the generated electric field is also turned off, indicating that the steak is thawed, and the driving device 400 is restarted to keep the first electrode plate 210 and / or the second electrode plate 220 away from the thawed steak to complete the thawing process.

[0112] Reference Fig.10 As shown, Fig.10 A schematic diagram of the structure of a controller provided in an embodiment of the present application. The controller includes:

[0113] The processor 1010 may be implemented by a general-purpose central processing unit (CPU), a microprocessor, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or one or more integrated circuits, and is used to execute relevant instructions to implement the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of the present application;

[0114] The memory 1020 can be implemented in the form of a read-only memory (ROM), a static storage device, a dynamic storage device, or a random access memory (RAM). The memory 1020 can store an operating system and other application programs. When the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of this specification are implemented by software or firmware, the relevant program codes are stored in the memory 1020, and the processor 1010 calls and executes the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application;

[0115] Input / output interface 1030, used to implement information input and output;

[0116] A communication interface 1040 is used to implement communication and interaction between this device and other devices. Communication can be achieved through wired means (such as USB, network cable, etc.) or wireless means (such as mobile network, WIFI, Bluetooth, etc.);

[0117] A bus 1050 transmits information between various components of the device (such as a processor 1010, a memory 1020, an input / output interface 1030, and a communication interface 1040);

[0118] Among them, the processor 1010, the memory 1020, the input / output interface 1030, and the communication interface 1040 are communicatively connected to each other inside the device through the bus 1050.

[0119] The embodiment of the present application also provides a refrigerator, which includes the thawing device and a controller described above.

[0120] During the process of thawing food ingredients in the thawing drawer of the present application, by controlling the electric field generating device to apply a voltage to the food ingredients, the initial impedance of the food ingredients is determined, the real-time impedance of the food ingredients during the thawing process is detected, and the change value of the real-time impedance relative to the initial impedance is determined. When the change value is greater than or equal to a preset impedance threshold, the electric field generating device is controlled to stop applying the voltage; the control method of the embodiment of the present application controls the thawing process of the food ingredients by using the change in the impedance of the food ingredients during the thawing process. By detecting the impedance of the food ingredients in real time and determining the change value of the impedance, and comparing the change value with the preset threshold, the thawing process is intelligently judged. Therefore, the thawing device provided by the embodiment of the present application accurately judges the thawing process of the food ingredients, and solves the problem that when judging the thawing process based on other detection parameters, the refrigerator cannot accurately determine the completion of thawing and intelligently stop thawing.

[0121] It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that all or some of the steps and systems in the methods disclosed 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 non-transitory medium) and a communication medium (or 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, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM) flash memory or other memory technology, compact disc-read only memory (CD-ROM), digital versatile disc (DVD) or other optical disc storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tapes, magnetic disks, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to store the desired information and can be accessed by a computer. In addition, it is well known to those of ordinary skill in the art that communication media generally include 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.

[0122] It should be understood that in the present application, "at least one (item)" means one or more, and "plurality" means two or more. "And / or" is used to describe the association relationship of associated objects, indicating that three relationships may exist. For example, "A and / or B" can mean: only A exists, only B exists, and A and B exist at the same time, where A and B can be singular or plural. The character " / " generally indicates that the objects associated before and after are in an "or" relationship. "At least one of the following" or similar expressions refers to any combination of these items, including any combination of single or plural items. For example, at least one of a, b or c can mean: a, b, c, "a and b", "a and c", "b and c", or "a and b and c", where a, b, c can be single or multiple.

[0123] In several embodiments provided in the present application, it should be understood that the disclosed systems, apparatuses and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely schematic, for example, the division of units is only a logical function division, and there may be other division methods in actual implementation, such as multiple units or components can be combined or integrated into another system, or some features can be ignored or not executed. Another point is that the mutual coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed can be through some interfaces, indirect coupling or communication connection of apparatuses or units, which can be electrical, mechanical or other forms. The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separated, and the components displayed as units may or may not be physical units, that is, they may be located in one place, or they may be distributed on multiple network units. Some or all of the units may be selected according to actual needs to achieve the purpose of the scheme of this embodiment.

[0124] It should also be understood that the various implementations provided in the embodiments of the present application can be combined arbitrarily to achieve different technical effects.

[0125] 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: Defrosting drawer, used to store food to be thawed; An electric field generating device, used for applying voltage to the food to be thawed, the electric field generating device comprising a first electrode plate and a second electrode plate; a controller, configured to, in response to a thawing instruction, control the electric field generating device to apply a voltage to the food to be thawed when the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate are in contact with the food to be thawed, and determine an initial electrical impedance of the food to be thawed; It is also used to detect the real-time electrical impedance of the food to be thawed during the thawing process, and determine the change value of the real-time electrical impedance relative to the initial electrical impedance. When the change value is greater than or equal to a preset electrical impedance threshold, the electric field generating device is controlled to stop applying voltage.

2. The thawing device according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The thawing device includes a driving device, and the driving device is used to control the relative movement of the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate so that the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate contact the food to be thawed.

3. The thawing device according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The thawing device includes a sensor; The first electrode plate and the second electrode plate are arranged vertically, and the sensor is arranged on the first electrode plate to detect whether the first electrode plate contacts the food to be thawed; Alternatively, the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate are distributed left and right, and the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate are both provided with the sensor for detecting whether the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate are in contact with the food to be thawed.

4. The thawing device according to claim 1, It is characterized in that An edible conductive film is provided on the surface of the first electrode plate and / or the second electrode plate.

5. Thawing method, It is characterized in that Applicable to the thawing device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, the thawing method comprises: In response to a thawing instruction, when the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate are in contact with the food to be thawed, controlling the electric field generating device to apply a voltage to the food to be thawed, and determining an initial electrical impedance of the food to be thawed; The real-time electrical impedance of the food to be thawed during the thawing process is detected, and a change value of the real-time electrical impedance relative to the initial electrical impedance is determined. When the change value is greater than or equal to a preset electrical impedance threshold, the electric field generating device is controlled to stop applying voltage.

6. The thawing method according to claim 5, It is characterized in that The thawing device further includes a sensor, which is arranged on the first electrode plate and / or the second electrode plate; in response to the thawing instruction, when the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate are in contact with the food to be thawed, controlling the electric field generating device to apply a voltage to the food to be thawed comprises: When receiving a thawing instruction, determining through the sensor that the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate are in contact with the food to be thawed; Determining that the thawing drawer is in a closed state; The electric field generating device is controlled to apply a voltage of a preset voltage value to the food to be thawed.

7. The thawing method according to claim 5, It is characterized in that The thawing device further includes a driving device and a sensor, wherein the sensor is arranged on the first electrode plate and / or the second electrode plate; in response to the thawing instruction, when the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate are in contact with the food to be thawed, controlling the electric field generating device to apply a voltage to the food to be thawed comprises: When receiving a thawing instruction, the driving device is started to control the relative movement of the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate, and the sensor determines that the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate are in contact with the food to be thawed, and the driving device is stopped; Determining that the thawing drawer is in a closed state; The electric field generating device is controlled to apply a voltage of a preset voltage value to the food to be thawed.

8. The thawing method according to claim 6 or 7, It is characterized in that After determining the initial electrical impedance of the food to be thawed, the thawing method further includes: Determining the type of the food to be thawed according to the initial electrical impedance and the first database; Determining a preset electrical impedance threshold according to the type of the food to be thawed and a second database; The first database is used to store the correspondence between the initial electrical impedance and the type of food; the second database is used to store the correspondence between the type of food and the preset electrical impedance threshold.

9. The thawing method according to claim 5, It is characterized in that The thawing device further includes a driving device. After controlling the electric field generating device to stop applying voltage, the thawing method further includes: The driving device is started to control the first electrode plate and / or the second electrode plate to be away from the thawed food.

10. Controller, It is characterized in that comprising at least one processor and a memory for communicatively connecting to 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 perform the thawing method according to any one of claims 5 to 9.

11. Refrigerator, It is characterized in that It comprises the thawing device according to any one of claims 1 to 4 or the controller according to claim 10.

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