Ice maker, control method and electronic equipment

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of ice making, and provides an ice maker, a control method and electronic equipment. The ice making machine comprises a shell, wherein a mounting cavity is formed in the shell; the ice making assembly is arranged in the mounting cavity, and a plurality of ice making grids are formed in the ice making assembly; the rotation driving part is connected with the ice making assembly and used for driving the ice making assembly to rotate so that the ice making assembly can be switched between a first state and a second state, in the first state, the ice cube tray is horizontally arranged, and the opening of the ice cube tray deviates from the bottom of the mounting cavity, and in the second state, the ice cube tray is horizontally arranged; the opening of the ice cube tray faces the side wall of the mounting cavity or the bottom wall of the mounting cavity; and the water pumping and spraying assembly is connected to the shell and is used for spraying water to the ice cube trays. According to the ice maker provided by the embodiment of the invention, the falling time of the ice blocks is effectively shortened, and the situation that the ice blocks cannot fall off is avoided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of ice making, and particularly to an ice maker, a control method and an electronic device. Background Art

[0002] As a key device in the fields of food refrigeration, medical cooling, industrial cooling, etc., the ice making efficiency and reliability of an ice maker directly affect the user experience and the operating cost of the device. In the ice making cycle, the ice shedding link is the core step to ensure that the ice cubes smoothly break away from the surface of the ice making component and enter the ice storage bin.

[0003] In the ice makers in the related art, there are technical problems such as long ice shedding time and even inability to shed ice. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present application aims to solve at least one of the technical problems existing in the related art. For this purpose, the present application provides an ice maker, a control method and an electronic device.

[0005] The ice maker according to the first aspect embodiment of the present application includes:

[0006] A housing, an installation cavity is formed in the housing;

[0007] An ice making component, which is arranged in the installation cavity, and a plurality of ice making grids are formed in the ice making component;

[0008] A rotation driving member, which is connected to the ice making component, and the rotation driving member is used to drive the ice making component to rotate, so that the ice making component switches between a first state and a second state. Wherein, in the first state, the ice making grid is horizontally arranged, and the opening of the ice making grid faces away from the bottom of the installation cavity. In the second state, the opening of the ice making grid faces the side wall or the bottom wall of the installation cavity;

[0009] A water pumping and spraying component, which is connected to the housing, and the water pumping and spraying component is used to spray water onto the ice making grid.

[0010] According to the ice maker control method of the present application, after the ice maker is started, the rotation driving member adjusts the ice making assembly to the first state. At this time, the opening of the ice making grid faces horizontally upward, and the spray head injects water into the ice making grid. The ice making grid is cooled by a refrigeration system (not shown) to freeze the water into ice cubes. When the ice cubes are formed, the rotation driving member drives the ice making assembly to rotate to the second state, so that the opening of the ice making grid faces the side wall or the bottom wall of the installation cavity. At the same time, the pumping and spraying assembly is started to continuously spray water flow on the surface of the ice cubes. The water flow penetrates along the contact surface between the ice cubes and the ice making grid, and a lubricating film is formed between the ice layer and the ice making grid, reducing the frictional force and playing a lubricating role. The ice removal is accelerated through the following mechanism. The water flow can also weaken the adhesion between the ice layer and the ice making grid, which is beneficial to the falling off of the ice cubes. That is to say, when de-icing in the present application, the water is sprayed onto the ice making grid through the pumping and spraying assembly, which can accelerate the falling off of the ice cubes. At the same time, the rotation driving assembly drives the ice making assembly to be in the second state. At this time, the opening of the ice making grid faces downward or obliquely downward, and the ice cubes in the ice making grid will also accelerate to fall off under the action of gravity, thereby effectively shortening the ice falling time and avoiding the situation where the ice cubes cannot fall off.

[0011] According to an embodiment of the present application, the ice maker further includes a baffle plate and a detection member. The baffle plate is arranged in the installation cavity, the baffle plate is located between the ice making grid and the bottom wall of the installation cavity, the detection member is connected to the baffle plate, and the detection member is used to detect whether ice cubes fall to the position of the baffle plate.

[0012] According to an embodiment of the present application, the detection member includes a pressure sensor, and the pressure sensor is installed on the side of the baffle plate facing the ice making assembly.

[0013] According to an embodiment of the present application, the ice maker further includes a ice storage member. The ice making member forms an ice storage cavity, and the baffle plate is located between the ice making assembly and the ice storage cavity;

[0014] The baffle plate includes a first end close to the ice making assembly and a second end far from the ice making assembly. Along the direction from the second end to the first end, the baffle plate gradually slopes downward.

[0015] According to the ice maker control method based on the above-mentioned ice maker in the second aspect embodiment of the present application, it includes:

[0016] Controlling the refrigeration of the ice making assembly to enable the ice making assembly to make ice;

[0017] After determining that the ice making is completed, controlling the heating of the ice making assembly;

[0018] Determining the first preset duration for heating the ice making assembly;

[0019] If the ice cubes in the ice tray do not fall off, control the water pumping and spraying assembly to spray the ice tray.

[0020] According to an embodiment of the present application, after the step of controlling the water pumping and spraying assembly to spray the ice tray, it includes:

[0021] Determine that the water pumping and spraying assembly sprays the ice tray for a second preset duration;

[0022] Control to heat the ice making assembly.

[0023] According to an embodiment of the present application, the step of controlling the water pumping and spraying assembly to spray the ice tray includes:

[0024] Control the water pumping and spraying assembly to spray the ice tray, and control to heat the ice making assembly.

[0025] According to an embodiment of the present application, before the step of controlling the ice making assembly to refrigerate, it further includes:

[0026] Send a prompt message to the user to remind the user to determine the size of the ice cubes;

[0027] Based on the feedback instruction of the user to the prompt message, control the water output of the water pumping and spraying assembly.

[0028] The ice maker control device according to the third aspect embodiment of the present application includes:

[0029] A first control module, configured to control the ice making assembly to refrigerate so that the ice making assembly makes ice;

[0030] A second control module, after determining that ice making is completed, controls to heat the ice making assembly;

[0031] A determination module, configured to determine that the ice making assembly is heated for a first preset duration;

[0032] A third control module, if the ice cubes in the ice tray do not fall off, controls the water pumping and spraying assembly to spray the ice tray.

[0033] The electronic device according to the fourth aspect embodiment of the present application includes a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored on the memory and executable on the processor. When the processor executes the computer program, the above-mentioned ice maker control method is implemented.

[0034] The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to the fifth aspect embodiment of the present application, the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium includes a computer program, and when the computer program is executed by the processor, the above-mentioned ice maker control method is implemented.

[0035] A computer program product according to an embodiment of the sixth aspect of the present application, the computer program product includes a computer program, and when the computer program is executed by the processor, the ice maker control method described above is implemented.

[0036] Additional aspects and advantages of the present application will be given in part in the following description, will become apparent in part from the following description, or will be understood through the practice of the present application. Description of the Drawings

[0037] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application or related technologies, the following will briefly introduce the drawings required for use in the description of the embodiments or related technologies. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present application. For those of ordinary skill in the art, without creative efforts, other drawings can also be obtained based on these drawings.

[0038] Figure 1 is a schematic flowchart of the ice maker control method of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 2 is a schematic structural diagram of the ice maker control device provided by the present invention;

[0040] Figure 3 is a schematic structural diagram of the electronic device provided by the present invention;

[0041] Figure 4 is a schematic structural diagram of the ice maker provided by the present invention;

[0042] Figure 5 is a partial schematic structural diagram of the ice maker provided by the present invention. Detailed Embodiments

[0043] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the present application clearer, the following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the present application with reference to the drawings in the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of the present application, rather than all of them. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative efforts fall within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0044] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, it should be noted that the orientation or positional relationship indicated by the terms "center", "longitudinal", "transverse", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "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 embodiments of the present application 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 embodiments of the present application. In addition, the terms "first", "second", and "third" are only used for descriptive purposes and cannot be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0045] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, it should be noted that unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "connected" and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in the embodiments of the present application can be understood according to specific situations.

[0046] In the embodiments of the present application, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the first feature being "on" or "under" the second feature can be that the first and second features are in direct contact, or the first and second features are indirectly in contact through an intermediate medium. Moreover, the first feature being "above", "over", and "on" the second feature can be that the first feature is directly above or obliquely above the second feature, or merely indicates that the first feature has a higher horizontal height than the second feature. The first feature being "under", "below", and "beneath" the second feature can be that the first feature is directly below or obliquely below the second feature, or merely indicates that the first feature has a lower horizontal height than the second feature.

[0047] In the description of this specification, the description with reference to terms such as "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "example", "specific example", or "some examples" means that the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the embodiments of the present application. In this specification, the schematic descriptions 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. In addition, without contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine and combine the different embodiments or examples described in this specification and the features of different embodiments or examples.

[0048] The following will be combined with Figures 1 to 5 Describe the ice maker, control method, and electronic device of the present application.

[0049] According to an embodiment of the first aspect of the present application, as Figure 4 and Figure 5 shown, the ice maker includes:

[0050] A housing 1, the housing 1 is formed with an installation cavity 11;

[0051] An ice making assembly 2, disposed in the installation cavity 11, the ice making assembly 2 is formed with a plurality of ice making grids 21;

[0052] A rotary driving member, connected to the ice making assembly 2, the rotary driving member is used to drive the ice making assembly 2 to rotate, so that the ice making assembly 2 switches between a first state and a second state, wherein, in the first state, the ice making grid 21 is horizontally arranged, and the opening of the ice making grid 21 faces away from the bottom of the installation cavity 11, and in the second state, the opening of the ice making grid 21 faces the side wall or the bottom wall of the installation cavity 11;

[0053] A water pumping and spraying assembly 3, connected to the housing 1, the water pumping and spraying assembly 3 is used to spray water onto the ice making grid 21.

[0054] For the ice maker according to the embodiment of the present application, after the ice maker is started, the rotary driving member adjusts the ice making assembly 2 to the first state. At this time, the opening of the ice making grid 21 faces horizontally upward, and the spray head injects water into the ice making grid 21. The ice making grid 21 is cooled by a refrigeration system (not shown) to freeze the water into ice cubes. When the ice cubes are formed, the rotary driving member drives the ice making assembly 2 to rotate to the second state, so that the opening of the ice making grid 21 faces the side wall or the bottom wall of the installation cavity 11. At the same time, the water pumping and spraying assembly 3 is started to continuously spray water on the surface of the ice cubes. The water flows into the ice cubes along the contact surface between the ice cubes and the ice making grid 21. The water forms a lubricating film between the ice layer and the ice making grid 21, reducing the frictional force and playing a lubricating role. The ice removal is accelerated through the following mechanism. The water flow can also weaken the adhesion force between the ice layer and the ice making grid 21, which is beneficial to the falling off of the ice cubes. That is to say, when de-icing in the present application, by spraying water onto the ice making grid 21 through the water pumping and spraying assembly 3, the falling off of the ice cubes can be accelerated. At the same time, the ice making assembly 2 is driven by the rotary driving assembly to be in the second state. At this time, the opening of the ice making grid 21 faces downward or obliquely downward, and the ice cubes in the ice making grid 21 will also accelerate to fall off under the action of gravity, thereby effectively shortening the falling off time of the ice cubes and avoiding the situation where the ice cubes cannot fall off.

[0055] It can be understood that after the de-icing is completed, the rotary driving member resets the ice making assembly 2 to the first state, and the spray head switches to the ice making water injection mode to enter the next ice making cycle.

[0056] Exemplarily, the spray head of the pumping and spraying assembly 3 uses an atomizing nozzle. The pumping and spraying assembly 3 includes a heating module for adjusting the temperature of the sprayed water. The temperature of the sprayed water flow can be set to 5 - 15°C (adjusted by the heating module of the pumping and spraying assembly 3). The spraying time is synchronized with the rotation action of the ice making assembly 2 to ensure that the water flow covers all the ice contact surfaces. In a low-temperature environment (such as below 0°C), the sprayed water is heated to 10 - 20°C by the heating module, significantly improving the ice removal efficiency.

[0057] In some embodiments, as Figure 4 and Figure 5 shown, the ice maker further includes a baffle 4 and a detector. The baffle 4 is disposed in the installation cavity 11, between the ice making grid 21 and the bottom wall of the installation cavity 11. The detector is connected to the baffle 4 and is used to detect whether ice cubes fall to the baffle 4.

[0058] It can be understood that the ice maker of the present invention further includes a baffle 4 and a detector. The baffle 4 is fixed in the installation cavity 11 through a bracket, between the ice making assembly 2 and the bottom wall of the installation cavity 11, and corresponds to the opening direction of the ice making grid 21 in the second state (ice removal state) of the ice making assembly 2. The baffle 4 adopts an arc or inclined design, and its surface is covered with an anti-sticking coating (such as polytetrafluoroethylene), which is used to receive the ice cubes falling off from the ice making grid 21 and guide them to slide towards the ice storage bin. The detector (such as a pressure sensor, a photoelectric sensor or a vibration sensor) is embedded in the central area or the edge of the baffle 4 to detect in real time whether the ice cubes hit the baffle 4. By the real-time feedback of the detector on the ice removal result, a "ice removal - detection - retry" closed loop is realized, and the ice removal success rate is increased to more than 99%.

[0059] When the ice making assembly 2 rotates to the second state (the ice making grid 21 opens downward or is inclined), the pumping and spraying assembly 3 sprays water flow on the ice cubes. Under the action of gravity and water flow, the ice cubes will break away from the ice making grid 21 and freely fall onto the surface of the baffle 4.

[0060] If the ice cubes successfully fall off and hit the baffle 4, the detector (taking the vibration sensor as an example) will capture the impact signal, convert it into an electrical signal and transmit it to the control module, and it is determined that the ice removal is successful.

[0061] If no signal is detected within the preset time (such as 10 seconds), it is determined that the ice removal fails, and a secondary ice removal program is triggered (such as extending the spraying time, increasing the water temperature or adjusting the rotation angle of the ice making assembly 2).

[0062] For example, in a commercial kitchen scenario, an ice maker needs to continuously produce complete ice cubes to meet the demand for beverage production. In the traditional solution, since it is impossible to determine whether the ice removal is complete, it may cause the ice storage bin to rotate idly or the ice cubes to get stuck. In this embodiment, when the ice cube hits the ice baffle 4 after detachment, the photoelectric sensor immediately sends a success signal, and the counter in the ice storage bin updates the inventory; if no signal is detected within 2 minutes, the system automatically starts secondary spraying and rotates the ice making component 2 to a larger tilt angle (such as increasing from 30° to 45°) to ensure that stubborn ice cubes fall off. In addition, the anti-sticking coating on the ice baffle 4 shortens the ice cube sliding time to within 0.5 seconds, preventing the ice cubes from freezing and sticking to the baffle in a low-temperature environment.

[0063] Specifically, the detection component includes a pressure sensor, which is installed on the side of the ice baffle 4 facing the ice making component 2. A preset pressure threshold (for example, 0.3N to 1.0N, dynamically adjusted according to the weight of the ice cube) is set. If the detected pressure value exceeds the threshold, it is determined that the single ice removal is successful. If no effective pressure signal is detected within the set time window (such as 5 - 10 seconds), it is determined that the ice removal fails, and the secondary ice removal program is triggered.

[0064] In some embodiments, as Figure 4 and Figure 5 shown, the ice maker further includes an ice storage member 5. The ice making member forms an ice storage cavity 51, and the ice baffle 4 is located between the ice making component 2 and the ice storage cavity 51;

[0065] The ice baffle 4 includes a first end close to the ice making component 2 and a second end far from the ice making component 2. Along the direction from the second end to the first end, the ice baffle 4 gradually slopes downward.

[0066] It can be understood that when the ice making component 2 rotates to the ice removal state, the ice cube freely falls after detaching from the ice making grid 21 and hits the first end (higher position) of the ice baffle 4. Since the ice baffle 4 gradually slopes downward along the direction from the second end to the first end, the ice cube naturally slides along the surface of the ice baffle 4 towards the ice storage cavity 51 under the action of gravity. The inclined design converts the potential energy of the ice cube sliding path into kinetic energy, accelerating the movement process and reducing the residence time on the ice baffle 4.

[0067] Exemplarily, the ice storage cavity 51 is located at the bottom or side of the installation cavity 11 and is connected to the ice removal area of the ice making component 2 through a diversion channel. The ice baffle 4 is arranged between the ice making component 2 and the ice storage cavity 51. Its end close to the ice making component 2 (the first end) is at a higher position, and its end far from the ice making component 2 (the second end) is at a lower position. The whole is a ramp structure that gradually slopes downward from the second end to the first end (the inclination angle is 20° - 40°). The surface of the ice baffle 4 is covered with an anti-sticking coating (such as polytetrafluoroethylene or silicone coating), and a support framework is arranged below it to ensure the structural stability.

[0068] The anti - sticking coating of the ice baffle 4 significantly reduces the friction between the ice and the baffle surface, avoiding the adhesion of ice midway.

[0069] Exemplarily, after the ice slides down along the ice baffle 4, it directly enters the ice storage cavity 51 through the diversion channel. A grid structure or a diversion ramp is arranged in the cavity to stack the ice in an orderly manner, avoiding blockage or secondary caking caused by disorderly stacking.

[0070] Exemplarily, longitudinal diversion grooves or corrugated protrusions are arranged on the surface of the ice baffle 4 to further guide the ice to slide along a specific path, reducing the risk of deviation.

[0071] The embodiments of the ice maker control method are provided in the embodiments of the present application. It should be noted that although the logical order is shown in the flowchart, under certain data, the steps shown or described can be completed in a different order from here.

[0072] Before introducing the ice maker control method of the embodiments of the present application, first, the application scenario of the ice maker control method is explained. The ice maker control method of the present application can be applied to intelligent terminals such as smart phones, tablets, and computers, and can also be applied to servers. The present application does not make special limitations here, as long as it can carry and implement the ice maker control method of the present application.

[0073] The following takes the application of the ice maker control method to the server side as an example for explanation, but it should be understood that the ice maker control method is not limited to being applied only to the server side.

[0074] According to the embodiments of the second aspect of the present application, as Figure 1 shown, the ice maker control method is used for an ice maker; the ice maker control method includes:

[0075] Step 101: Control the refrigeration of the ice making component 2 to enable the ice making component 2 to make ice;

[0076] Step 102: After determining that the ice making is completed, control the heating of the ice making component 2;

[0077] Step 103: Determine the first preset heating duration for the ice making component 2;

[0078] Step 104: If the ice in the ice making grid 21 does not fall off, control the water pumping and spraying component 3 to spray the ice making grid 21.

[0079] According to the ice maker control method of the present application, after the ice maker is started, an instruction is sent to the refrigeration system (such as a compressor or a thermoelectric cooler) to cool the ice making assembly 2, so that the water temperature in the ice making grid 21 drops below the freezing point to form solid ice cubes. The temperature change of the ice making grid 21 is monitored by a temperature sensor. When the temperature is stable at the set threshold (such as -5°C ± 0.5°C) for 30 seconds, or when the cumulative refrigeration duration reaches a preset value (such as 15 minutes) through a timer, it is determined that the ice making is completed. After determining that the ice making is completed, the ice making assembly 2 is heated to make the ice cubes fall off. If the ice cubes in the ice making grid 21 still do not fall off after heating for the first preset duration, the pumping and spraying assembly 3 is controlled to spray the ice making grid 21 to reduce the difficulty of ice cube falling off and accelerate the ice cube falling off speed.

[0080] In some examples, the heating methods for heating the ice making assembly 2 include:

[0081] Direct heating: Electric heat is generated by energizing the heating wire embedded at the bottom of the ice making grid 21 to directly melt the ice layer contact surface;

[0082] Indirect heating: The compressor is controlled to run in reverse, and the high-temperature refrigerant is introduced into the evaporator pipeline to indirectly heat the ice making grid 21 through heat exchange;

[0083] Combined heating: The heating wire and the compressor heat recovery are started simultaneously to improve the ice removal efficiency.

[0084] Exemplarily, the first preset duration (such as 10 - 30 seconds) is set according to the ice cube volume and the ambient temperature. For example:

[0085] Small ice cubes (10g): Heat for 10 seconds;

[0086] Large ice cubes (30g): Heat for 25 seconds;

[0087] Low temperature environment (≤0°C): Extended to 30 seconds.

[0088] In some examples, the ice cube falling off determination can be through:

[0089] Visual detection: The image of the ice making grid 21 is captured by a camera, and based on the image analysis algorithm (such as edge detection), it is judged whether there are residual ice cubes in the ice grid;

[0090] Physical detection: The pressure sensor or the photoelectric sensor at the ice blocking plate 4 is used. If no ice cube impact signal is detected within 5 seconds after the heating ends, it is determined that the ice cube has not fallen off.

[0091] In some examples, the spraying parameters of the pumping and spraying assembly 3 include:

[0092] Water temperature control: The spraying water is heated to 10 - 20°C through a heating module to accelerate the ice layer melting;

[0093] Spraying timing: Spray in pulse mode (e.g., spray for 2 seconds and pause for 1 second), lasting for 3 - 5 cycles to avoid wasting water resources;

[0094] Angle adjustment: The spray head deflects synchronously with the rotation of the ice - making component 2 to ensure that the water flow covers the ice adhesion area.

[0095] In some examples, the first preset duration is dynamically optimized according to the historical ice - removal success rate. For example, if the ice - removal fails 3 times in a row, the heating duration is increased by 20%. In a high - temperature and high - humidity environment (such as 35°C and humidity of 80%), the heating duration is shortened to 70% of the default value to prevent increased energy consumption caused by overheating.

[0096] In some examples, a micro - vibrator (frequency 50Hz) is built into the spray head of the pumping and spraying component 3 to make the water flow generate micro - oscillations and improve the ability to penetrate into the ice layer gaps.

[0097] In an embodiment of the present application, after the step of controlling the pumping and spraying component 3 to spray the ice - making grid 21, it includes:

[0098] Determine the second preset duration for the pumping and spraying component 3 to spray the ice - making grid 21;

[0099] Control the heating of the ice - making component 2.

[0100] It can be understood that after determining that the spraying duration reaches the second preset duration, the ice - making component 2 is heated again to further accelerate the ice - falling speed.

[0101] It can be understood that when the pumping and spraying component 3 sprays the ice - making grid 21 for the second preset duration (such as 5 - 15 seconds), the control module determines whether to start secondary heating based on the sensor feedback or timer signal:

[0102] a. Sensor determination: If the pressure sensor or camera at the ice - blocking plate 4 still detects that the ice has not completely fallen off (such as the pressure signal < threshold or image analysis shows residual ice), secondary heating is triggered;

[0103] b. Timer determination: If no sensor is configured, it is default to directly perform secondary heating after spraying ends.

[0104] In some examples, the heating mode for heating the ice - making component 2:

[0105] Direct heating: Start the heating wire at the bottom of the ice - making grid 21 and heat at a lower power (such as 50% of the rated power) to avoid damaging the coating of the ice - making grid 21 due to high temperature;

[0106] Indirect heating: Control the compressor to re - introduce the high - temperature refrigerant into the evaporator pipeline and gently increase the temperature through heat exchange;

[0107] Combined heating: After short-time heating with an electric heating wire (such as 3 seconds), it is switched to indirect heating to balance efficiency and energy consumption.

[0108] Optimization of the heating duration for heating the ice-making component 2:

[0109] Dynamically adjust the secondary heating duration according to the water temperature during the spraying stage and the ambient temperature:

[0110] If the spraying water temperature ≥ 15°C, the secondary heating duration is 3 - 8 seconds;

[0111] If the spraying water temperature < 10°C or the ambient temperature ≤ 0°C, the secondary heating duration is extended to 10 - 15 seconds.

[0112] In some examples, after the spraying ends, delay for 2 seconds to wait for the water to seep into the ice layer gaps;

[0113] Take an image of the ice-making grid 21 through a camera. If the remaining ice area recognized > 5%, then start secondary heating;

[0114] During secondary heating, continuously monitor the sensor signal of the ice baffle 4. If it is detected that the ice block falls off, immediately stop heating;

[0115] If the ice has not fallen off after secondary heating ends, trigger the system alarm and enter the standby state to avoid continuous energy consumption.

[0116] In an embodiment of the present application, the steps of controlling the pumping and spraying component 3 to spray the ice-making grid 21 include:

[0117] Control the pumping and spraying component 3 to spray the ice-making grid 21, and control the heating of the ice-making component 2.

[0118] It can be understood that while controlling the pumping and spraying component 3 to spray the ice-making grid 21, controlling the heating of the ice-making component 2 effectively improves the ice falling-off speed. When the pumping and spraying component 3 starts spraying, the control module synchronously triggers the heating module to heat the ice-making component 2, forming a combined ice falling-off effect of "spraying water flow + temperature rise of the ice-making grid 21".

[0119] In some embodiments, before the step of controlling the cooling of the ice-making component 2, it further includes:

[0120] Send a prompt message to the user to remind the user to determine the size of the ice block;

[0121] Based on the feedback instruction of the user to the prompt message, control the water output of the pumping and spraying component 3.

[0122] It can be understood that before starting ice making, a prompt message can be sent to the user to remind the user to determine the size of the ice cubes. Then, according to the feedback instruction of the user to the prompt message, the size of the ice cubes is determined. Furthermore, according to the size of the ice cubes, the water output of the pumping and spraying assembly 3 is determined, so that after the pumping and spraying assembly 3 completes water injection, the amount of water in the ice making grid 21 matches the size of the ice cubes determined by the user to meet the user's needs.

[0123] In an embodiment of the present application, the ice maker further includes a water absorption member, the water absorption member is movable relative to the ice making assembly 2, and a partition plate is provided between two adjacent ice making grids 21; after the step of controlling the water output of the pumping and spraying assembly 3, it includes:

[0124] Controlling the water absorption member to move to the partition plate;

[0125] Controlling the water absorption member to suck away the water on the top of the partition plate.

[0126] It can be understood that by sucking away the water on the top of the partition plate by the water absorption member, it is avoided that the water on the top freezes and adheres the adjacent ice cubes together, and it is avoided that the adjacent ice cubes form an "ice bridge" due to the adhesion of the top ice layer, reducing the ice removal resistance and the ice removal difficulty.

[0127] Exemplarily, the water absorption member is movably mounted above or on the side of the ice making assembly 2 through a guide rail or a robotic arm. The water absorption member is composed of a water absorption body (such as a porous sponge, a water absorption cloth or a vacuum suction nozzle) and a driving mechanism (such as a stepping motor or a linear module). The water absorption body is connected to a water storage tank or a drainage channel through a hose. The top of the partition plate between two adjacent ice making grids 21 is designed as a flat surface or a micro-groove structure for temporarily retaining the splashed water droplets during spraying or water injection.

[0128] In some examples, water absorption is triggered after spraying:

[0129] When the pumping and spraying assembly 3 completes water injection into the ice making grid 21, the control module delays for 1 to 3 seconds (waiting for the water flow to stabilize), and then starts the water absorption member movement program.

[0130] The driving mechanism drives the water absorption member to move horizontally along the guide rail to directly above the partition plate, and the water absorption body descends and contacts the top of the partition plate (the contact pressure is controlled within the range of 0.1 to 0.5 N by a pressure sensor).

[0131] Water absorption execution stage:

[0132] Physical adsorption: If the water absorption body is a porous material (such as a sponge), it adsorbs the residual water on the top of the partition plate through capillary action;

[0133] Vacuum suction: If the water absorption body is a vacuum suction nozzle, a micro vacuum pump (with a power of 10 to 20 W) is started to suck the accumulated water with a negative pressure of -5 kPa to -10 kPa, and the water is discharged to the waste water tank through a hose.

[0134] Moving path coverage: The water absorbent member traverses all the partition plates in sequence to ensure that the top of each partition plate is cleaned.

[0135] Reset and drying:

[0136] After the water absorbent member completes all the water absorption tasks, it returns to the initial position, and the water absorbed by the water absorption body is discharged through a squeezing mechanism (such as a roller) or a reverse air flow to achieve self-cleaning.

[0137] The top of the partition plate remains dry to prevent residual water from freezing during subsequent refrigeration.

[0138] Exemplarily, a humidity sensor is embedded in the top of the partition plate, and the water absorption action is triggered only when the detected surface humidity ≥ 80%, reducing the energy consumption of ineffective movement.

[0139] In an embodiment of the present application, a receiving cavity is formed at the bottom of the ice storage cavity 51, the size of the opening of the receiving cavity is smaller than the size of the ice storage grid, and a water level detection member is provided in the receiving cavity for detecting the water level in the receiving cavity; the ice making machine control method further includes:

[0140] When the water level in the receiving cavity is greater than the threshold value, control the cooling of the ice storage cavity 51.

[0141] It can be understood that if the size of the opening of the receiving cavity is larger than the size of the ice storage grid, the ice cubes will not fall into the receiving cavity. The receiving cavity is located at the bottom of the ice storage cavity 51. When the ice cubes melt, the melted water will flow into the receiving cavity. When the water level in the receiving cavity is greater than the threshold value, it means that the temperature of the ice storage cavity 51 is relatively high at this time, and the melting speed of the ice cubes is relatively fast. Then control the cooling of the ice storage cavity 51 to ensure the integrity of the ice cubes and prevent the ice cubes from melting.

[0142] In some examples, a downwardly concave receiving cavity is provided at the bottom of the ice storage cavity 51, the opening width thereof is 50% - 70% of the width of the ice storage grid (for example, when the width of the ice storage grid is 20 cm, the opening width is 10 - 14 cm), and the depth is 3 - 8 cm. The side wall and the bottom of the receiving cavity form a funnel-shaped diversion structure to facilitate the concentration of accumulated water. The water level detection member (such as a capacitive sensor, an ultrasonic sensor or a float switch) is fixed at the bottom of the receiving cavity and is connected to the control module of the ice making machine through a wire or a wireless signal.

[0143] In an embodiment of the present application, an infrared sensor (wavelength 3 - 5 μm) and a laser rangefinder are installed on the top of the ice making grid 21 to scan the surface and internal structure of the ice cubes in real time. The infrared sensor detects the difference in thermal radiation of the ice layer, and the laser rangefinder measures the height of the ice surface. The actual thickness of the ice cubes is calculated jointly. If the thickness does not reach the set value (such as 20 mm ± 0.5 mm), the refrigeration time is extended until it reaches the standard.

[0144] This will help improve the uniformity of ice cubes, avoid half-melted ice or over-freezing, achieve precise control of refrigeration time, and reduce energy consumption fluctuations by 20%.

[0145] In one embodiment of the present application, a microporous air channel is embedded inside the ice-making component 2 and connected to a micro air pump (pressure 0.2-0.5 MPa). When removing ice, the micro air pump outputs a high-pressure airflow, which is ejected from the micropores to form an air film between the ice layer and the ice-making grid 21, which is conducive to reducing the difficulty of ice cubes falling off.

[0146] In one embodiment of the present application, an air pressure regulating device is provided in the ice storage chamber 51, and the air pressure regulating device is used to regulate the air pressure inside the ice storage chamber 51; the ice making machine control method further includes:

[0147] When the temperature of the ice storage chamber 51 is higher than the first preset temperature, the air pressure regulating device is controlled to reduce the air pressure inside the ice storage chamber 51 to a first target value, so that the ice storage chamber 51 maintains the ice cubes in a solid state at a second preset temperature, wherein the second preset temperature is higher than the melting temperature of ice under normal atmospheric pressure.

[0148] It is understandable that by reducing the air pressure in the ice storage chamber 51, the temperature of the ice storage chamber 51 can be appropriately increased, and the ice cubes can also be kept in a solid state, which is beneficial to reducing the energy consumption required to maintain the ice cubes.

[0149] According to the embodiment of the third aspect of the present application, the ice making machine control device and the ice making machine control method correspond to each other. Figure 2 As shown, the ice machine control device includes:

[0150] The first control module 201 is used to control the refrigeration of the ice-making assembly 2 so that the ice-making assembly 2 makes ice;

[0151] The second control module 202 controls heating of the ice-making assembly 2 after determining that ice-making is completed;

[0152] Determining module 203, determining a first preset time length for heating the ice-making assembly 2;

[0153] The third control module 204 controls the water pumping and spraying assembly 3 to spray the ice making tray 21 if the ice cubes in the ice making tray 21 have not fallen off.

[0154] According to an embodiment of the fourth aspect of the present application, Figure 3As shown in the figure, the electronic device may include: a processor 310, a communications interface 320, a memory 330, and a communication bus 340. Among them, the processor 310, the communications interface 320, and the memory 330 communicate with each other through the communication bus 340. The processor 310 may call the logical instructions in the memory 330 to execute the ice maker control method, and this method includes:

[0155] Controlling the refrigeration of the ice making component 2 so that the ice making component 2 makes ice;

[0156] After determining that the ice making is completed, controlling the heating of the ice making component 2;

[0157] Determining a first preset duration for heating the ice making component 2;

[0158] If the ice cubes in the ice tray 21 do not fall off, controlling the water pumping and spraying component 3 to spray the ice tray 21.

[0159] In addition, when the logical instructions in the above-mentioned memory 330 are implemented in the form of software functional units and sold or used as independent products, they may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on such an understanding, the technical solution of the present application, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art, or a part of this technical solution, may be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions for causing a computer device (which may be a personal computer, a server, or a network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the methods of various embodiments of the present invention. The foregoing storage medium includes: various media such as a USB flash drive, a mobile hard disk, a read-only memory (ROM, Read-Only Memory), a random access memory (RAM, Random Access Memory), a magnetic disk, or an optical disc that can store program codes.

[0160] On the other hand, the present application also provides a computer program product. The computer program product includes a computer program stored on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. The computer program includes program instructions. When the program instructions are executed by a computer, the computer can execute the ice maker control method provided by the above-mentioned various methods, and this method includes:

[0161] Controlling the refrigeration of the ice making component 2 so that the ice making component 2 makes ice;

[0162] After determining that the ice making is completed, controlling the heating of the ice making component 2;

[0163] Determining a first preset duration for heating the ice making component 2;

[0164] If the ice cubes in the ice tray 21 do not fall off, control the pumping and spraying assembly 3 to spray the ice tray 21.

[0165] According to an embodiment of the fifth aspect of the present application, the present application further includes a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, on which a computer program is stored. When the computer program is executed by a processor, it is configured to execute the ice maker control method provided above. The method includes:

[0166] Control the refrigeration of the ice making assembly 2 so that the ice making assembly 2 makes ice;

[0167] After determining that the ice making is completed, control the heating of the ice making assembly 2;

[0168] Determine a first preset duration for heating the ice making assembly 2;

[0169] If the ice cubes in the ice tray 21 do not fall off, control the pumping and spraying assembly 3 to spray the ice tray 21.

[0170] The device embodiments described above are merely illustrative. The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separated, and the components shown as units may or may not be physical units, that is, they may be located in one place, or may be distributed to multiple network units. Some or all of the modules can be selected according to actual needs to achieve the purpose of the solution of this embodiment. Those of ordinary skill in the art can understand and implement it without creative effort.

[0171] Through the description of the above embodiments, those skilled in the art can clearly understand that each embodiment can be implemented by means of software plus a necessary general hardware platform, and of course, also by hardware. Based on this understanding, the above technical solution, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art, can be embodied in the form of a software product. The computer software product can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, such as ROM / RAM, magnetic disk, optical disc, etc., and includes several instructions for causing a computer device (which can be a personal computer, a server, or a network device, etc.) to execute the methods of each embodiment or some parts of the embodiments.

[0172] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the present application, rather than to limit the present application. Although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the embodiments, those of ordinary skill in the art should understand that various combinations, modifications, or equivalent replacements of the technical solutions of the present application do not depart from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the present application, and should all be covered within the scope of the claims of the present application.

Claims

1. An ice making machine, characterized in that: include: A housing, wherein the housing is formed with a mounting cavity; An ice-making assembly is disposed in the installation cavity, and the ice-making assembly is formed with a plurality of ice-making grids; a rotating driving member connected to the ice-making assembly, the rotating driving member being used to drive the ice-making assembly to rotate so as to switch the ice-making assembly between a first state and a second state, wherein in the first state, the ice-making tray is horizontally arranged, and the opening of the ice-making tray is away from the bottom of the installation cavity, and in the second state, the opening of the ice-making tray is toward the side wall of the installation cavity or the bottom wall of the installation cavity; The water pumping and spraying assembly is connected to the shell and is used for spraying water on the ice making grid.

2. The ice making machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The ice maker also includes an ice shield and a detection member. The ice shield is arranged in the installation cavity, the ice shield is located between the ice making grid and the bottom wall of the installation cavity, the detection member is connected to the ice shield, and the detection member is used to detect whether ice cubes fall onto the ice shield.

3. The ice making machine according to claim 2, characterized in that: The detection component comprises a pressure sensor, and the pressure sensor is installed on a side of the ice shield facing the ice-making assembly.

4. The ice making machine according to claim 2, characterized in that: The ice maker also includes an ice storage component, the ice maker forms an ice storage cavity, and the ice blocking plate is located between the ice maker component and the ice storage cavity; The ice-blocking plate comprises a first end close to the ice-making assembly and a second end far away from the ice-making assembly, and the ice-blocking plate gradually slopes downward along a direction from the second end to the first end.

5. An ice maker control method based on the ice maker according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: The ice-making component is refrigerated so that the ice-making component makes ice; After ice making is completed, heating the ice making assembly; heating the ice-making assembly for a first preset time period; If the ice cubes in the ice making grid do not fall off, the water pumping and spraying assembly sprays the ice making grid.

6. The ice making machine control method according to claim 5, characterized in that: After the step of controlling the water pumping and spraying assembly to spray the ice making tray, the method further comprises: The water pumping and spraying assembly sprays the ice making tray for a second preset time period; The ice-making assembly is heated.

7. The ice making machine control method according to claim 5, characterized in that: The step of controlling the water pumping and spraying assembly to spray the ice making tray comprises: The water pumping and spraying assembly is controlled to spray the ice making grid, and the ice making assembly is controlled to heat.

8. The ice making machine control method according to claim 5, characterized in that: Before the step of controlling the ice-making assembly to refrigerate, the method further includes: Sending a prompt message to the user to remind the user to determine the size of the ice cube; Based on the user's feedback instruction to the prompt information, the water output of the water pumping and spraying component is controlled.

9. An electronic device, comprising a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein: When the processor executes the computer program, the ice-making machine control method according to any one of claims 5 to 8 is implemented.

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