Refrigerator and control method thereof

Abstract

The invention provides a refrigerator and a control method thereof, and the refrigerator comprises a refrigerator body which is internally provided with an unfreezing cavity for placing food materials to be unfrozen; the detection device is arranged in the unfreezing cavity and is provided with a detection end used for cutting into the food materials; the control method comprises the following steps: providing an unfreezing medium for transferring heat to the food materials for the food materials; under the condition that acting force used for promoting the detection end to be inserted into the food material is applied to the detection device or the food material, whether the detection end is cut into the middle of the food material or not is detected; if yes, the unfreezing process of the refrigerator is ended. According to the control method of the refrigerator, the situation that a user cannot cut the food materials or the situation that the food materials are excessively thawed and even cured due to the fact that the unfreezing process of the refrigerator is finished but the hardness of the interior of the food materials is still very high can be effectively avoided, and the user experience is greatly improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of refrigerators, and particularly to a refrigerator and a control method thereof. Background Art

[0002] With the development of science and technology, the living standards of human beings have been continuously improved, and refrigerators have become essential electrical appliances in people's work and life. Moreover, with technological innovation, the functions of refrigerators have become more and more diverse. For example, on the basis of the most basic functions of refrigeration and freezing, a thawing function has emerged. Among them, the operation of the thawing function involves obtaining the internal temperature of the food stored in the refrigerator, especially the central temperature of the food, and then the thawing process of the food can be judged according to the internal temperature of the food.

[0003] Currently, for refrigerators in the prior art, the method of obtaining the internal temperature of food is generally to first obtain parameters such as the surface temperature, weight, and category of the food, and then estimate the internal temperature of the food according to parameters such as the surface temperature, weight, and category of the food. However, the data obtained by such an indirect method of obtaining the internal temperature of food is always inaccurate, that is, there is always a deviation between the estimated temperature inside the food and the actual temperature inside the food. As a result, when the refrigerator finishes the thawing program, there is also a deviation between the actual temperature of the food and the preset temperature value. If the actual temperature of the food does not rise to the preset temperature value, the inside of the food cannot be lowered to a hardness that the user can cut and divide, and the user cannot complete the cutting of the food; if the actual temperature of the food has exceeded the preset temperature value, the food will be over-thawed or even cooked; the above greatly reduces the user experience of using the refrigerator. Summary of the Invention

[0004] An object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator and a control method thereof that can solve at least one of the defects in the above prior art.

[0005] A further object of the present invention is to effectively avoid the situation where the hardness inside the food is still very high when the thawing process of the refrigerator ends and the user cannot complete the cutting of the food, or the situation where the food is over-thawed or even cooked, thereby improving the user experience.

[0006] In particular, the present invention provides a control method for a refrigerator, wherein the refrigerator includes:

[0007] A box body, inside which there is a thawing chamber for placing food to be thawed;

[0008] A detection device, arranged in the thawing chamber, which has a detection end for cutting into the interior of the food; and,

[0009] The control method includes:

[0010] Providing a thawing medium for transferring heat to the food ingredient;

[0011] When a force for urging the detection end to insert into the interior of the food ingredient is applied to the detection device or the food ingredient, detecting whether the detection end cuts into the middle of the food ingredient;

[0012] If so, ending the thawing process of the refrigerator.

[0013] Further, the step of providing a thawing medium for transferring heat to the food ingredient includes:

[0014] Providing a thawing medium at a first predetermined value, the first predetermined value being greater than the freezing temperature value at which the food ingredient begins to freeze.

[0015] Further, before the step of providing a thawing medium at a first predetermined value, the first predetermined value being greater than the freezing temperature value at which the food ingredient begins to freeze, the step of providing a thawing medium for transferring heat to the food ingredient further includes:

[0016] Obtaining the freezing temperature value;

[0017] Determining the first predetermined value according to the freezing temperature value and a first preset relationship.

[0018] Further, when a force for urging the detection end to insert into the interior of the food ingredient is applied to the detection device or the food ingredient, and before the step of detecting whether the detection end cuts into the middle of the food ingredient, the control method further includes:

[0019] Detecting whether the detection end cuts into the interior of the food ingredient;

[0020] If so, performing the step of detecting whether the detection end cuts into the middle of the food ingredient;

[0021] When the detection end does not cut into the middle of the food ingredient, changing or maintaining the temperature of the thawing medium at the freezing temperature value.

[0022] Further, after the step of changing or maintaining the temperature of the thawing medium at the freezing temperature value, the control method further includes:

[0023] Detecting whether the detection end stops cutting into the interior of the food ingredient;

[0024] If so, changing or maintaining the temperature of the thawing medium at a second predetermined value, the second predetermined value being greater than the freezing temperature value and less than the first predetermined value.

[0025] Further, before the step of changing or maintaining the temperature of the thawing medium at the second predetermined value, the control method further includes:

[0026] Determine a second predetermined value according to the freezing temperature value and the second preset relationship; and,

[0027] After the step of changing or maintaining the temperature of the thawing medium to the second predetermined value, perform the step of detecting whether the detection end has cut into the middle of the food ingredient; and

[0028] When the detection end has not stopped cutting into the interior of the food ingredient, perform the step of detecting whether the detection end has cut into the middle of the food ingredient.

[0029] Furthermore, the detection device is arranged at the bottom of the thawing cavity, and the detection end is arranged upward. The food ingredient is placed on the detection end, and the acting force is the gravity of the food ingredient; and,

[0030] The step of detecting whether the detection end has cut into the middle of the food ingredient includes:

[0031] Obtain the thickness of the food ingredient in the vertical direction;

[0032] Obtain the moving distance of the food ingredient moving downward from the position when the thawing medium for transferring heat to the food ingredient is provided to the food ingredient;

[0033] Judge whether the ratio of the moving distance to the thickness is greater than or equal to one half;

[0034] If so, determine that the detection end has cut into the middle of the food ingredient through the acting force;

[0035] If not, determine that the detection end has not cut into the middle of the food ingredient.

[0036] Furthermore, the refrigerator further includes:

[0037] A telescopic structure is arranged at the top of the thawing cavity, and the detection device is arranged on the telescopic structure. The detection end is located below the telescopic structure and is arranged downward. The food ingredient is placed at the bottom of the thawing cavity, and the telescopic structure is used to apply an acting force to the detection device; and,

[0038] The step of detecting whether the detection end has cut into the middle of the food ingredient includes:

[0039] Obtain the thickness of the food ingredient in the vertical direction;

[0040] Obtain the cutting depth of the detection end cutting into the food ingredient in the vertical direction;

[0041] Judge whether the ratio of the cutting depth to the thickness is greater than or equal to one half;

[0042] If so, determine that the detection end has cut into the middle of the food ingredient through the acting force;

[0043] If not, determine that the detection end has not cut into the middle of the food ingredient.

[0044] Specifically, the present invention further provides a refrigerator, comprising:

[0045] a cabinet, inside which there is a thawing chamber for placing ingredients to be thawed;

[0046] a detection device, disposed in the thawing chamber, having a detection end for cutting into the interior of the ingredient;

[0047] a controller, including a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores a machine-executable program, and when the executable program is executed by the processor, it realizes the control method of the refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

[0048] Further, the detection device is disposed at the bottom of the thawing chamber, and the detection end is arranged upward, the ingredient is placed on the detection end, and the acting force is the gravity of the ingredient; or,

[0049] the refrigerator further comprises:

[0050] a telescopic structure, disposed at the top of the thawing chamber, and the detection device is disposed thereon, the detection end is located below the telescopic structure and arranged downward, the ingredient is placed at the bottom of the thawing chamber, and the telescopic structure is used to apply an acting force to the detection device.

[0051] For the control method of the refrigerator of the present invention, since it can be determined whether to end the thawing program of the refrigerator by whether the detection end of the detection device is inserted into the center of the ingredient. If the detection end is inserted into the center of the ingredient, it means that the heat of the thawing medium has been transferred from the surface of the ingredient to the center of the ingredient, and the overall hardness of the ingredient has been thawed to the extent that the user can cut it and it can be sliced. Therefore, the control method of the refrigerator of the present invention can effectively avoid the situation where the thawing process of the refrigerator ends but the hardness inside the ingredient is still very high and the user cannot complete the slicing of the ingredient, or the situation where the ingredient is over-thawed or even cooked, greatly improving the user experience.

[0052] For the refrigerator of the present invention, since it can implement the above-mentioned control method of the refrigerator, and then the beneficial technical effects possessed by the above-mentioned control method of the refrigerator are also possessed by the refrigerator of the present invention.

[0053] According to the following detailed description of the specific embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, those skilled in the art will more clearly understand the above and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention. Description of the Drawings

[0054] Some specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings in an exemplary but not restrictive manner. The same reference numerals in the drawings denote the same or similar components or parts. Those skilled in the art should understand that these drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. In the drawings:

[0055] Figure 1It is a schematic structural diagram of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0056] Figure 2 It is a schematic structural diagram of a thawing chamber and a probe type temperature sensor in a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0057] Figure 3 It is one of the schematic structural diagrams of a thawing chamber, a telescopic structure and a probe type temperature sensor in a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0058] Figure 4 It is another schematic structural diagram of a thawing chamber, a telescopic structure and a probe type temperature sensor in a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0059] Figure 5 It is a schematic connection frame diagram of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0060] Figure 6 It is a schematic flow diagram of a control method of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0061] Figure 7 It is a schematic flow diagram of a control method of a refrigerator according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0062] Figure 8 It is one of the schematic flow diagrams of detecting whether a detection end is inserted into the middle of a food material in a control method of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0063] Figure 9 It is another schematic flow diagram of detecting whether a detection end is inserted into the middle of a food material in a control method of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0064] Figure 10 It is one of the schematic flow diagrams of detecting whether a detection end is inserted into the interior of a food material in a control method of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0065] Figure 11 It is another schematic flow diagram of detecting whether a detection end is inserted into the interior of a food material in a control method of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0066] Figure 12 It is the third schematic flow diagram of detecting whether a detection end is inserted into the interior of a food material in a control method of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed implementation manners

[0067] In the description of this embodiment, it should be understood that the orientation or positional relationship indicated by the terms "center", "lateral", "length", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc. is based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings. It is only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, it should not be construed as a limitation to the present invention.

[0068] The terms "first" and "second" are only used for descriptive purposes and cannot be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the quantity of the indicated technical features. Thus, the features defined with "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of such features, that is, include one or more of such features. In the description of the present invention, the meaning of "a plurality of" is at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise specifically defined. When a certain feature "includes or contains" a certain or certain features it covers, unless otherwise specifically described, this indicates that other features are not excluded and other features may be further included.

[0069] Unless otherwise clearly defined and limited, the terms such as "set", "connected", "connected to" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it may be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or integrated; it may be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it may be directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, and it may be the communication inside two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements, unless otherwise clearly limited. Those of ordinary skill in the art should be able to understand the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention according to specific circumstances.

[0070] In addition, in the description of this embodiment, the first feature being "above" or "below" the second feature may include the first and second features being in direct contact, or may include the first and second features not being in direct contact but in contact through additional features therebetween. That is, in the description of this embodiment, the first feature being "above", "over" and "on" the second feature includes the first feature being directly above and obliquely above the second feature, or merely indicating that the first feature has a higher horizontal height than the second feature. The first feature being "below", "beneath" or "under" the second feature may be the first feature being directly below or obliquely below the second feature, or merely indicating that the first feature has a lower horizontal height than the second feature.

[0071] Unless otherwise limited, all terms (including technical terms and scientific terms) used in the description of this embodiment have the same meaning as commonly understood by those of ordinary skill in the technical field to which this application belongs.

[0072] In the description of this embodiment, the descriptions referring to terms such as "this embodiment" and "implementation manner" mean that the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection with this embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the schematic expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described can be combined in a suitable manner in any one or more embodiments or examples.

[0073] The following will Figures 1 to 5 be used to describe the refrigerator of this embodiment in detail. Figure 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a schematic structural diagram of a thawing chamber and a probe type temperature sensor in a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 is one of the schematic structural diagrams of a thawing chamber, a telescopic structure, and a probe type temperature sensor in a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 is another schematic structural diagram of a thawing chamber, a telescopic structure, and a probe type temperature sensor in a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 is a schematic connection frame diagram of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0074] Referring to Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 5 , in this embodiment, the refrigerator 100 includes a box body 110, a detection device 200, and a controller 500. A thawing chamber 111 for placing the food ingredient 400 to be thawed is provided in the box body 110; the detection device 200 is arranged in the thawing chamber 111, and the detection device 200 has a detection end for cutting into the interior of the food ingredient 400; the controller 500 includes a memory 520 and a processor 510, wherein a machine executable program 521 is stored in the memory 520, and when the executable program is executed by the processor 510, the control method of the refrigerator 100 in the following embodiments is realized. Furthermore, the refrigerator 100 in this embodiment also has the beneficial technical effects possessed by the control method of the refrigerator 100 in the following embodiments.

[0075] It should be noted that the detection device 200 can be a needle-like structure, such as an iron nail, a steel needle, etc., and the detection end can be the sharp end of a needle-bar structure; the detection device 200 can also be a knife-like structure, for example, a blade, a kitchen knife, and the detection end can be the cutting end of the knife-like structure with a cutting surface; the detection device 200 can also be a probe type temperature sensor, the detection end can be the head of the probe type temperature sensor, and the head has good hardness and sharpness to ensure that the detection end can be inserted into the interior of the food ingredient 400.

[0076] Referring to Figure 2, in this embodiment, the detection device 200 is disposed at the bottom inside the thawing chamber 111, and the detection end is arranged upward. The foodstuff 400 is placed on the detection end, and the acting force is the gravity of the foodstuff 400.

[0077] It can be understood that the gravity of the foodstuff 400 is the force exerted on the foodstuff 400 due to the attraction of the earth. Through the above settings of the refrigerator 100 in this embodiment, when the gravity of the foodstuff 400 meets the predetermined conditions, and the temperature of the foodstuff 400 rises to a certain value, that is, when the hardness of the foodstuff 400 drops to a certain degree, the gravity of the foodstuff 400 can cause it to be inserted by the detection end of the detection device 200. Particularly, during the process of the refrigerator 100 thawing the foodstuff 400, when the gravity of the foodstuff 400 meets the predetermined conditions (for example, the weight of the foodstuff 400 can be two kilograms, five kilograms, or ten kilograms), as the temperature of different thicknesses inside the foodstuff 400 rises, the hardness of different thicknesses of the foodstuff 400 drops, and the detection end can continuously and gradually insert into the interior of the foodstuff 400.

[0078] In addition, the gravity of the foodstuff 400 can be greater than or equal to one kilogram to ensure meeting the preset conditions.

[0079] Refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4 , in this embodiment, the refrigerator 100 further includes a telescopic structure 300. The telescopic structure 300 is disposed at the top inside the thawing chamber 111, and the detection device 200 is disposed on the telescopic structure 300. The detection end is located below the telescopic structure 300 and arranged downward. The foodstuff 400 is placed at the bottom inside the thawing chamber 111, and the telescopic structure 300 is used to apply an acting force to the detection device 200.

[0080] It can be understood that through the above settings of the refrigerator 100 in this embodiment, when the acting force applied by the telescopic structure 300 to the detection device 200 meets certain conditions, and the temperature of the foodstuff 400 rises to a certain value, that is, when the hardness of the foodstuff 400 drops to a certain degree, the detection end of the detection device 200 can be inserted into the foodstuff 400. Particularly, during the process of the refrigerator 100 thawing the foodstuff 400, when the acting force applied by the telescopic structure 300 to the detection device 200 meets the preset conditions (for example, the magnitude of the force is twenty N, fifty N, or one hundred N), as the temperature of different thicknesses inside the foodstuff 400 rises, the hardness of different thicknesses of the foodstuff 400 drops, and the detection end can continuously and gradually insert into the interior of the foodstuff 400.

[0081] In addition, the acting force applied by the telescopic structure 300 to the detection device 200 can be greater than or equal to ten N to ensure meeting the preset conditions.

[0082] Refer to Figure 3, in the first embodiment of the telescopic mechanism of this embodiment, the telescopic structure 300 is drivingly connected to the detection device 200. The telescopic structure 300 is used to drive the detection device 200 to move towards the foodstuff 400, so as to apply a force to the detection device 200.

[0083] Since the refrigerator 100 of this embodiment has a telescopic structure 300, and through the arrangement of the telescopic structure 300, it can prompt the detection end of the detection device 200 to be inserted into the foodstuff 400 stored in the thawing chamber 111, which can effectively avoid the situation in the above embodiment where the gravity of the foodstuff 400 does not reach the preset condition and the detection end cannot be inserted into the interior of the foodstuff 400. Therefore, the refrigerator 100 of this embodiment can ensure the feasibility and stability of the process of inserting the detection end of the detection device 200 into the interior of the foodstuff 400.

[0084] Refer to Figure 3 , in this embodiment, the telescopic structure 300 includes a telescopic cavity 310, a driving rack 320, and a driving motor 330. The telescopic cavity 310 is located at the top of the thawing chamber 111, and the telescopic cavity 310 extends upward; the driving rack 320 is arranged on the detection device 200, and the driving rack 320 is arranged in the up-and-down direction; the driving motor 330 is arranged in the telescopic cavity 310, and a driving gear 340 drivingly connected to the driving rack 320 is arranged on the driving shaft of the driving motor 330. The driving motor 330 is used to drive the detection device 200 to extend downward into the thawing chamber 111 or retract upward into the telescopic cavity 310.

[0085] It can be understood that the telescopic structure 300 can drive the detection device 200 to move downward through the arrangement of its driving rack 320, driving gear 340, and driving motor 330. Among them, during the process of the telescopic structure 300 driving the detection device 200 to move downward and inserting the detection end into the interior of the foodstuff 400, the foodstuff 400 can be resisted by the inner bottom wall of the thawing chamber 111, and the detection end of the detection device 200 can be smoothly inserted into the interior of the foodstuff 400. And the telescopic cavity 310 can allow the detection device 200 to retract into it, which can avoid the situation that when the detection device 200 is always in the thawing chamber 111, the detection end of the detection device 200 will scratch the user when the user stores the foodstuff 400 in the thawing chamber 111, ensuring the safety of using the refrigerator 100.

[0086] Refer to Figure 3 , in this embodiment, the refrigerator 100 further includes a refrigerating chamber. The refrigerating chamber is arranged in the cabinet 110, and the refrigerating chamber is located above the thawing chamber 111. A plurality of refrigerating drawers 112 arranged in the left-right direction are provided in the refrigerating chamber, and the telescopic cavity 310 is located between any two refrigerating drawers 112. To reasonably utilize the space inside the refrigerator 100 and ensure the capacity of the storage space for storing the foodstuff 400 inside the refrigerator 100.

[0087] Refer to Figure 4 Figure 4 , in the second mode of the telescopic mechanism in this embodiment, the telescopic structure 300 is disposed on the first inner wall 1111 of the thawing chamber 111. The telescopic structure 300 is configured to clamp the food ingredient 400 between the telescopic structure 300 and the second inner wall 1112 of the thawing chamber 111, and the first inner wall 1111 and the second inner wall 1112 are disposed opposite to each other.

[0088] Refer to Figure 4 Figure 4 , in this embodiment, the telescopic structure 300 includes a first spring 350 and a first clamping plate 360. One end of the first spring 350 is connected to the first inner wall 1111; the other end of the first spring 350 is connected to one side surface of the first clamping plate 360, and the other side surface of the first clamping plate 360 is configured to abut against the food ingredient 400. Further, the telescopic structure 300 can clamp the food ingredient 400 between the telescopic structure 300 (the first clamping plate 360) and the second inner wall 1112 of the thawing chamber 111.

[0089] Refer to Figure 4 Figure 4 , in this embodiment, the detection device 200 is disposed on the first clamping plate 360, the detection end protrudes from the side surface of the first clamping plate 360 that contacts the food ingredient 400, and the detection end extends in a direction away from the first clamping plate 360. And in this embodiment, the first inner wall 1111 is the inner top wall of the thawing chamber 111, and the second inner wall 1112 is the inner bottom wall of the thawing chamber 111; the first clamping plate 360 is disposed along a horizontal plane.

[0090] It should be understood that by disposing the detection device 200 on the first clamping plate 360, and the detection end protrudes from the side surface of the first clamping plate 360 that contacts the food ingredient 400, and the detection end extends in a direction away from the first clamping plate 360, such a setting can drive the detection device 200 to move towards the food ingredient 400 synchronously when the telescopic structure 300 clamps the food ingredient 400 between the telescopic structure 300 and the second inner wall 1112 of the thawing chamber 111. And when the detection end of the driving detection device 200 contacts the food ingredient 400, at this time, the first spring 350 may be compressed, thereby realizing that the telescopic mechanism applies a force to the detection device 200.

[0091] Moreover, by disposing the telescopic structure 300 on the inner top wall of the thawing chamber 111, then during the process that the telescopic structure 300 moves towards the food ingredient 400 to clamp the food ingredient 400 between the telescopic structure 300 and the inner bottom wall of the thawing chamber 111, the inner bottom wall of the thawing chamber 111 will firmly abut against the food ingredient 400 to ensure the stability of the telescopic structure 300 during the process of clamping the food ingredient 400, as well as the stability of the detection device 200 inserting the detection end into the food ingredient 400.

[0092] Refer to Figure 4, in this embodiment, the telescopic structure 300 further includes a plurality of first positioning thimbles 370. The plurality of first positioning thimbles 370 are arranged on the first clamping plate 360, and each first positioning thimble 370 protrudes from the first clamping plate 360 to touch the side surface of the food material 400, and each first positioning thimble 370 extends in a direction away from the first clamping plate 360.

[0093] It can be understood that by arranging a plurality of first positioning thimbles 370 on the first clamping plate 360, the friction force between the first clamping plate 360 and the food material 400 can be increased to ensure the stability of clamping the food material 400 between the telescopic structure 300 and the second inner wall 1112 of the thawing cavity 111.

[0094] Refer to Figure 4 , in this embodiment, the materials of the first clamping plate 360 and the first positioning thimble 370 are both metals.

[0095] It can be understood that setting the materials of the first clamping plate 360 and the first positioning thimble 370 to metals, such as copper or copper alloy, aluminum or aluminum alloy, etc. On the one hand, it can ensure the firmness and durability of the first clamping plate 360 and the first positioning thimble 370; on the other hand, when the thawing cavity 111 is used to thaw the food material 400 to be thawed and the thawing medium in the following embodiments is gas, the thawing air flow can flow to the first clamping plate 360. By setting the materials of the first clamping plate 360 and the first positioning thimble 370 to metals, the first clamping plate 360 and the first positioning thimble 370 can conduct heat well to the food material 400, avoid the disturbance of the telescopic structure 300 to the thawing air flow, and ensure the uniformity of the heat received by the food material 400.

[0096] Refer to Figure 4 , in this embodiment, the refrigerator 100 further includes a refrigerating chamber. The refrigerating chamber is arranged in the cabinet 110, the thawing cavity 111 is located in the refrigerating chamber, a shelf 113 arranged horizontally is provided in the refrigerating chamber, the shelf 113 is used to open upward or close downward the thawing cavity 111, and the first inner wall 1111 is the lower surface of the shelf 113.

[0097] It should be understood that the shelf 113 can be pivotally arranged in the refrigerating chamber, and the rotation central axis of the shelf 113 is horizontally located at the rear of the refrigerating chamber. Furthermore, the shelf 113 can be rotatably opened forward and upward to the thawing chamber 111, so as to facilitate the user to store or take out the foodstuff 400 into or from the thawing chamber 111; after the user stores or takes out the foodstuff 400 into or from the thawing chamber 111, the shelf 113 can be rotated downward to close the thawing chamber 111. And when there is a foodstuff 400 placed at a predetermined position in the thawing chamber 111, during the process of rotating the shelf 113 downward, it will cause the telescopic structure 300 arranged on the lower surface of the shelf 113 to move towards the foodstuff 400, and finally clamp the foodstuff 400 between the telescopic structure 300 and the inner bottom wall of the thawing chamber 111, and cause the detection device 200 to insert the detection end into the foodstuff 400.

[0098] In this embodiment, a thawing medium for transferring heat to the foodstuff 400 is further arranged in the thawing chamber 111. Furthermore, the refrigerator 100 of this embodiment can realize the thawing of the foodstuff 400.

[0099] In this embodiment, the thawing medium includes one or more of gas, liquid, and solid.

[0100] In this embodiment, the thawing medium can be a thawing gas, and an air duct for conveying air flow from the indoor space to the thawing chamber can be arranged in the refrigerator, and a heating element (the hot end of a semiconductor refrigeration chip, an electric heating wire, or a condenser in the original refrigerator refrigeration system) and a cooling element (the cold end of a semiconductor refrigeration chip or an evaporator in the original refrigerator refrigeration system) for adjusting the air flow temperature in the air duct are arranged in the air duct. Furthermore, a thawing medium for transferring heat to the foodstuff 400 is provided to the foodstuff.

[0101] In this embodiment, the thawing medium can be a thawing liquid. The refrigerator can also include a liquid storage chamber, and the thawing liquid is stored in the liquid storage chamber. The thawing liquid can be water or light brine. The thawing chamber can be set as a sealed space with good sealing performance. After the foodstuff is placed in the thawing chamber, the thawing liquid in the liquid storage chamber can be conveyed to the thawing chamber through a circulation pipeline communicated between the thawing chamber and the liquid storage chamber, and the foodstuff is submerged by the thawing liquid. And a heat exchange device including a heating element (the hot end of a semiconductor refrigeration chip, an electric heating wire, or a condenser in the original refrigerator refrigeration system) and a cooling element (the cold end of a semiconductor refrigeration chip or an evaporator in the original refrigerator refrigeration system) is arranged on the circulation pipeline. Furthermore, a thawing medium for transferring heat to the foodstuff 400 is provided to the foodstuff. And when it is necessary to take out the foodstuff, the liquid in the thawing chamber can be pumped back into the liquid storage chamber.

[0102] In this embodiment, the thawing medium may be a thawing solid, such as the first clamping plate without a positioning thimble in the above embodiment, and a heat exchange device including a heating element (the hot end of a thermoelectric cooler, an electric heating wire, or the condenser in the original refrigerator refrigeration system) and a cooling element (the cold end of a thermoelectric cooler or the evaporator in the original refrigerator refrigeration system) is provided on the first clamping plate, and the food is clamped between the first clamping plate and the second inner wall, thereby realizing providing a thawing medium for transferring heat to the food.

[0103] Referring to Figure 5 , in this embodiment, the refrigerator 100 further includes a distance sensor 530 disposed at the top inside the thawing chamber 111, and the distance sensor 530 is electrically connected to the controller 500.

[0104] The following combines Figures 6 to 12 to detail the control method of the refrigerator in this embodiment.

[0105] Figure 6 is a flowchart of the control method of the refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to Figure 6 , in this embodiment, the control method of the refrigerator includes:

[0106] Step S602, providing a thawing medium for transferring heat to the food.

[0107] Step S604, when a force for urging the detection end to insert into the interior of the food is applied to the detection device or the food, detecting whether the detection end cuts into the middle of the food; if so, execute step S606.

[0108] Step S606, ending the thawing process of the refrigerator.

[0109] Since the control method of the refrigerator in this embodiment can determine whether to end the thawing program of the refrigerator by detecting whether the detection end of the detection device is inserted into the center of the food. If the detection end is inserted into the center of the food, it means that the heat of the thawing medium has been transferred from the surface of the food to the center of the food, and the overall hardness of the food has been thawed to the extent that the user can cut it and it can be sliced. Therefore, the control method of the refrigerator in this embodiment can effectively avoid the situation where the thawing process of the refrigerator ends but the hardness inside the food is still very high and the user cannot complete the slicing of the food, or the situation where the food is over-thawed or even cooked, greatly improving the user experience.

[0110] Figure 7 is a flowchart of the control method of the refrigerator according to another embodiment of the present invention. Referring to Figure 7 , in this embodiment, the control method of the refrigerator includes:

[0111] Step S702, obtaining the freezing temperature value.

[0112] Step S704, determine a first predetermined value according to the freezing temperature value and a first preset relationship.

[0113] Step S706, provide a thawing medium with a temperature of the first predetermined value to the food material, where the first predetermined value is greater than the freezing temperature value at which the food material starts to freeze.

[0114] Step S708, when a force for prompting the detection end to insert into the interior of the food material is applied to the detection device or the food material, detect whether the detection end has cut into the interior of the food material; if so, execute Step S710, that is, execute the step of detecting whether the detection end has cut into the middle of the food material; if not, repeat this Step S708.

[0115] Step S710, detect whether the detection end has cut into the middle of the food material; if so, execute Step S720; if not, that is, when the detection end has not cut into the middle of the food material, execute Step S712.

[0116] Step S712, change or maintain the temperature of the thawing medium at the freezing temperature value.

[0117] Step S714, detect whether the detection end has stopped cutting into the interior of the food material; if so, execute Step S716; if not, that is, when the detection end has not stopped cutting into the interior of the food material, execute the step of detecting whether the detection end has cut into the middle of the food material, that is, execute Step S710.

[0118] Step S716, determine a second predetermined value according to the freezing temperature value and a second preset relationship.

[0119] Step S718, change or maintain the temperature of the thawing medium at the second predetermined value, where the second predetermined value is greater than the freezing temperature value and less than the first predetermined value; and after the step of changing or maintaining the temperature of the thawing medium at the second predetermined value and after executing this Step S718, execute the step of detecting whether the detection end has cut into the middle of the food material, that is, execute Step S710.

[0120] Step S720, end the thawing process of the refrigerator.

[0121] It should be noted that since the thawing medium provided to the food material is the first predetermined value greater than the freezing temperature value, the outer surface of the food material can be thawed quickly.

[0122] Moreover, during the thawing process from Step S708 to Step S722, due to the effect of the thawing medium, the outer surface of the food material thaws first, the temperature of the outer surface of the food material rises, and the hardness decreases. Thus, under the action of the force, the detection end can penetrate through the outer surface of the food material and insert into the interior.

[0123] Furthermore, as the thawing process progresses, the internal temperature of the food material gradually rises. If the volume of the food material is small, the detection device may have inserted the detection end into the center of the food material, that is, the overall hardness of the food material has decreased to the extent that the user can cut it, and then the thawing program of the refrigerator can end. If the volume of the food material is large, the thawing process takes a longer time. The temperature of the outer surface of the food material rises, but the internal temperature is still low. Therefore, the food material still needs to be thawed. At this time, as long as the food material still needs to be thawed, under the action of the force and the progress of the thawing process, the detection end will always touch the unfrozen and non-softened thickness layer of the food material, and thus the detection end cannot be inserted into the center of the food material. Therefore, it can be determined whether to end or continue thawing the food material through step S710.

[0124] Furthermore, when the food material needs to continue thawing, if the thawing medium of the first predetermined value is continuously provided, a phase change layer is likely to form between the unfrozen and non-softened thickness layer inside the food material and the already thawed outer surface. The phase change layer will absorb a large amount of heat, thereby restricting the increase in temperature and thawing of the unfrozen and non-softened part of the food material. Therefore, the temperature of the thawing medium can be reduced to the freezing temperature value through step S712. At this time, the internal temperature of the food material no longer rises, but the cold in the center will transfer to the outer surface, so that the temperature of the already thawed and softened part of the food material will decrease and the hardness will increase, so as to avoid the generation of the phase change layer inside the food material.

[0125] And it should be understood that when the detection end stops cutting further into the food material, it indicates that more than 80% of the food material is in a frozen state and exhibits a relatively high hardness, which can effectively avoid the generation of the phase change layer. Therefore, by executing step S714, it can be well ensured that the temperature of most of the food material drops to a certain level and the hardness increases to a certain level, so as to effectively avoid the generation of the phase change layer.

[0126] After ensuring that there is no phase change layer inside the food material, if the food material needs to be thawed continuously, the temperature of the thawing medium can be changed to a second predetermined value greater than the freezing temperature value and less than the first predetermined value to maintain the food material in a solid state. And because the thermal conductivity of water is 0.5W / (m·K) and the thermal conductivity of ice is 2.33W / (m·K), furthermore, the heat of the thawing medium at the second predetermined value will continuously and rapidly transfer from the outer surface of the food material to the center of the food material, so that the center of the food material can be quickly heated and thawed.

[0127] And by continuously looping from step S712 to step S718, the generation of the phase change layer inside the food material can be further avoided, and at the same time, the rapid increase inside the food material can be promoted until through step S710, the detection end has been inserted into the middle of the food material, and then the thawing ends.

[0128] In the above, during the thawing process of the refrigerator for food materials, by inserting the detection end of the detection device into the food materials to different degrees and coordinating with the implementation of the thawing steps, the thawing process can be controlled, so that the food materials can be thawed quickly and with high quality, greatly improving the user experience.

[0129] In addition, the preset value of the magnitude of the acting force can be configured such that when the temperature of the food material is the preset temperature value, it can prompt the detection end to penetrate into the interior of the food material; and the preset value of the magnitude of the acting force is configured such that when the temperature of the food material is the preset temperature value and the detection device penetrates into the food material, it can prompt the detection device to move a preset length, and the preset length can be one-half of the length of the thawing chamber in the moving direction of the detection device. Specifically, it can be achieved by configuring the weight of the food material, the current value of the driving motor of the telescopic structure, or the elastic coefficient of the first spring of the telescopic structure.

[0130] In addition, the preset temperature value can be greater than or equal to -5.5°C and less than or equal to -4.5°C, and preferably it can be -5°C. Then, in step S710, when the detection end cuts into the middle of the food material, the temperature in the middle of the food material is the preset temperature value, and at this time, the refrigerator ends the thawing program. The whole food material will not be over-thawed, and there will be no juice loss or a large amount of bacteria breeding. At the same time, the hardness of the food material is suitable for the user to cut.

[0131] Moreover, when the refrigerator includes a telescopic structure, before step S708 of detecting whether the detection end penetrates into the interior of the food material, the control method of this embodiment can further include: controlling the telescopic structure to apply an acting force towards the food material to the detection device.

[0132] It should also be noted that in step S704, the first preset relationship between the first predetermined value and the freezing temperature value can be:

[0133] T = A + (5°C to 10°C)

[0134] Wherein, T represents the first predetermined value, and A represents the freezing temperature value.

[0135] In the first preset relationship, the first predetermined value is 5 to 10 degrees higher than the freezing temperature, so as to ensure that the outer surface of the food material is quickly thawed while not being cooked by the heat transferred by the thawing medium.

[0136] In step S718, the second preset relationship between the second predetermined value and the freezing temperature value can be:

[0137] C = A + (0°C to 5°C)

[0138] Wherein, C represents the second predetermined value, and A represents the freezing temperature value.

[0139] In the second preset relationship, the second preset value is 0 to 5 °C higher than the freezing temperature, so that while the internal temperature of the food material rises to the central temperature, the generation of the internal phase change layer of the food material can be avoided.

[0140] Figure 8 It is one of the flow diagrams for detecting whether the detection end is inserted into the middle of the food material in the control method of the refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention. Refer to Figure 8 In this embodiment, when the detection device is arranged at the bottom of the thawing chamber and the detection end is arranged upward, the food material is placed on the detection end, and the acting force is the gravity of the food material, the step S710 in the above embodiment, the step of detecting whether the detection end cuts into the middle of the food material includes:

[0141] Step S802, obtaining the thickness of the food material in the up-and-down direction.

[0142] Step S804, obtaining the moving distance of the food material moving downward from the position where the thawing medium for transferring heat to the food material is provided.

[0143] Step S806, judging whether the ratio of the moving distance to the thickness is greater than or equal to one-half. If so, execute step S808; if not, execute step S810.

[0144] Step S808, determining that the detection end cuts into the middle of the food material through the acting force.

[0145] Step S810, determining that the detection end does not cut into the middle of the food material.

[0146] It can be understood that the determination of whether the detection end cuts into the middle of the food material is realized through steps S802 to S808. And for step S802, the realization of obtaining the thickness of the food material in the up-and-down direction can be input by the user into the storage unit of the refrigerator, or before providing the thawing medium for transferring heat to the food material, the distance between the top of the food material and the top of the thawing chamber (or the distance sensor) is first obtained through the distance sensor, and then calculated through the height of the thawing chamber and the height of the detection device. And for step S804, the realization of obtaining the moving distance of the food material moving downward from the position where the thawing medium for transferring heat to the food material is provided can be that when providing the thawing medium for transferring heat to the food material, the first distance between the top of the food material and the top of the thawing chamber is first obtained through the distance sensor, and the second distance between the top of the food material and the top of the thawing chamber is currently obtained through the distance sensor, and then calculated through the difference between the first distance and the second distance.

[0147] Figure 9 It is the second flow diagram for detecting whether the detection end is inserted into the middle of the food material in the control method of the refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention. Refer toFigure 9 , in this embodiment, when the refrigerator includes a telescopic structure, the steps of detecting whether the detection end cuts into the middle of the food material include:

[0148] Step S902, obtain the thickness of the food material in the vertical direction.

[0149] Step S904, obtain the penetration depth of the detection end into the food material in the vertical direction.

[0150] Step S906, determine whether the ratio of the penetration depth to the thickness is greater than or equal to one-half; if so, execute Step S908; if not, execute Step S910.

[0151] Step S908, determine that the detection end penetrates into the middle of the food material by the acting force.

[0152] Step S910, determine that the detection end does not penetrate into the middle of the food material.

[0153] It can be understood that the determination of whether the detection end penetrates into the middle of the food material is realized through Steps S902 to S908. And the realization of Step S902, obtaining the thickness of the food material in the vertical direction, can be input by the user into the storage unit of the refrigerator, or can be obtained by the distance sensor first before providing the thawing medium for transferring heat to the food material, and then calculating through the height of the thawing cavity and the height of the detection device. For Step S904, obtaining the penetration depth of the detection end into the food material in the vertical direction, it can be recorded after providing the thawing medium for transferring heat to the food material, the rotation angle of the motor shaft of the driving motor, and calculated according to the parameters of the preset gear and rack; it can also be, before providing the thawing medium for transferring heat to the food material, first obtaining the third distance between the first clamping plate and the top of the thawing cavity (or the distance sensor) by the distance sensor, then obtaining the current fourth distance between the first clamping plate and the top of the thawing cavity (or the distance sensor) by the distance sensor, and calculating the difference between the third distance and the fourth distance.

[0154] Figure 10 is one of the flowcharts of detecting whether the detection end inserts into the interior of the food material in the control method of the refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention. Refer to Figure 10 , in this embodiment, when the detection device is arranged at the bottom of the thawing cavity, the detection end is arranged upward, the food material is placed on the detection end, and the acting force is the gravity of the food material, Step S708, detecting whether the detection end cuts into the interior of the food material includes:

[0155] Step S1002, when providing a thawing medium for transferring heat to the food material, detect the distance between the food material and the top (or the distance sensor) in the thawing chamber at multiple preset time intervals.

[0156] Step S1004, compare whether there is a difference between the distances detected in two adjacent detections; if so, execute Step S1006; if not, determine that the detection end has not penetrated into the interior of the food material.

[0157] Step S1006, determine that the detection end has penetrated into the interior of the food material.

[0158] Among them, Step S1002 can be implemented by a distance sensor.

[0159] Figure 11 It is the second schematic flow chart of detecting whether the detection end penetrates into the interior of the food material in the control method of the refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention. Refer to Figure 11 , in this embodiment, when the refrigerator includes a telescopic structure and the telescopic structure includes a driving motor, Step S708 of detecting whether the detection end penetrates into the interior of the food material includes:

[0160] Step S1102, when providing a thawing medium for transferring heat to the food material, record the rotation angle of the driving motor at multiple preset time intervals.

[0161] Step S1104, compare whether there is a difference between the rotation angles recorded in two adjacent detections; if so, execute Step S1106; if not, determine that the detection end has not penetrated into the interior of the food material.

[0162] Step S1106, determine that the detection end has penetrated into the interior of the food material.

[0163] Figure 12 It is the third schematic flow chart of detecting whether the detection end penetrates into the interior of the food material in the control method of the refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention. Refer to Figure 12 , in this embodiment, when the refrigerator includes a telescopic structure and the telescopic structure includes a first clamping plate, Step S708 of detecting whether the detection end penetrates into the interior of the food material includes:

[0164] Step S1202, when providing a thawing medium for transferring heat to the food material, detect the distance between the first clamping plate and the top (or the distance sensor) in the thawing chamber at a preset time interval.

[0165] Step S1204, compare whether there is a difference between the distances detected in two adjacent detections; if so, execute Step S1206; if not, determine that the detection end has not penetrated into the interior of the food material.

[0166] Step S1206 determines that the detection end cuts into the interior of the food ingredient.

[0167] In this embodiment, in step S714, to detect whether the detection end stops cutting into the interior of the food ingredient, it is possible to detect the distance between the food ingredient and the top of the thawing cavity (or the distance sensor) multiple times at a preset time interval, or record the rotation angle of the drive motor multiple times at a preset time interval. It is also possible to detect the distance between the first clamping plate and the top of the thawing cavity (or the distance sensor) multiple times at a preset time interval, and by comparing whether there is a difference between the distances detected in two adjacent times, or comparing whether there is a difference between the rotation angles recorded in two adjacent times. When there is no difference, it is determined that the detection end stops cutting into the interior of the food ingredient, and when there is a difference, it is determined that the detection end does not stop cutting into the interior of the food ingredient.

[0168] At this point, those skilled in the art should recognize that although multiple exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described in detail herein, many other variations or modifications that conform to the principles of the present invention can still be directly determined or derived from the content disclosed in the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of the present invention should be understood and recognized as covering all these other variations or modifications.

Claims

1. A control method for a refrigerator, wherein, the refrigerator includes: a cabinet, inside which there is a thawing chamber for placing ingredients to be thawed; a detection device, arranged in the thawing chamber, having a detection end for cutting into the interior of the ingredients; and, the control method includes: providing a thawing medium for transferring heat to the ingredients to the ingredients; when a force for urging the detection end to insert into the interior of the ingredients is applied to the detection device or the ingredients, detecting whether the detection end has cut into the middle of the ingredients; if so, ending the thawing process of the refrigerator.

2. The control method for a refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein, the step of providing a thawing medium for transferring heat to the ingredients to the ingredients includes: providing the thawing medium at a first predetermined value to the ingredients, the first predetermined value being greater than the freezing temperature value at which the ingredients start to freeze.

3. The control method for a refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein, before the step of providing the thawing medium at a first predetermined value to the ingredients, the first predetermined value being greater than the freezing temperature value at which the ingredients start to freeze, the step of providing a thawing medium for transferring heat to the ingredients to the ingredients further includes: obtaining the freezing temperature value; determining the first predetermined value according to the freezing temperature value and a first preset relationship.

4. The control method for a refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein, when a force for urging the detection end to insert into the interior of the ingredients is applied to the detection device or the ingredients, and before the step of detecting whether the detection end has cut into the middle of the ingredients, the control method further includes: detecting whether the detection end has cut into the interior of the ingredients; if so, performing the step of detecting whether the detection end has cut into the middle of the ingredients; when the detection end has not cut into the middle of the ingredients, changing or maintaining the temperature of the thawing medium at the freezing temperature value.

5. The control method for a refrigerator according to claim 4, wherein, after the step of changing or maintaining the temperature of the thawing medium at the freezing temperature value, the control method further includes: detecting whether the detection end stops cutting into the interior of the ingredients; if so, changing or maintaining the temperature of the thawing medium at a second predetermined value, the second predetermined value being greater than the freezing temperature value and less than the first predetermined value.

6. The control method for a refrigerator according to claim 5, wherein, before the step of changing or maintaining the temperature of the thawing medium at a second predetermined value, the control method further includes: determining the second predetermined value according to the freezing temperature value and a second preset relationship; and, after the step of changing or maintaining the temperature of the thawing medium at a second predetermined value, performing the step of detecting whether the detection end has cut into the middle of the ingredients; and when the detection end has not stopped cutting into the interior of the ingredients, performing the step of detecting whether the detection end has cut into the middle of the ingredients.

7. The control method of the refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein, the detection device is arranged at the bottom of the thawing chamber, and the detection end is arranged upward, the food is placed on the detection end, and the acting force is the gravity of the food; and, the step of detecting whether the detection end cuts into the middle part of the food includes: obtaining the thickness of the food in the up-and-down direction; obtaining the moving distance of the food moving downward from the position when a thawing medium for transferring heat to the food is provided to the food; judging whether the ratio of the moving distance to the thickness is greater than or equal to one half; if so, determining that the detection end cuts into the middle part of the food by the acting force; if not, determining that the detection end does not cut into the middle part of the food.

8. The control method of the refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein, the refrigerator further includes: a telescopic structure arranged at the top of the thawing chamber, and the detection device is arranged on the telescopic structure, the detection end is located below the telescopic structure and is arranged downward, the food is placed at the bottom of the thawing chamber, and the telescopic structure is used to apply the acting force to the detection device; and, the step of detecting whether the detection end cuts into the middle part of the food includes: obtaining the thickness of the food in the up-and-down direction; obtaining the cutting depth of the detection end cutting into the food in the up-and-down direction; judging whether the ratio of the cutting depth to the thickness is greater than or equal to one half; if so, determining that the detection end cuts into the middle part of the food by the acting force; if not, determining that the detection end does not cut into the middle part of the food.

9. A refrigerator, comprising: a box body, inside which there is a thawing chamber for placing food to be thawed; a detection device arranged in the thawing chamber, which has a detection end for cutting into the interior of the food; a controller, including a memory and a processor, wherein a machine-executable program is stored in the memory, and when the executable program is executed by the processor, it realizes the control method of the refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. The refrigerator according to claim 9, wherein, the detection device is arranged at the bottom of the thawing chamber, and the detection end is arranged upward, the food is placed on the detection end, and the acting force is the gravity of the food; or, the refrigerator further includes: a telescopic structure arranged at the top of the thawing chamber, and the detection device is arranged thereon, the detection end is located below the telescopic structure and is arranged downward, the food is placed at the bottom of the thawing chamber, and the telescopic structure is used to apply the acting force to the detection device.

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