Ice making equipment and ice making method

Abstract

The invention provides ice making equipment and an ice making method. The ice making equipment comprises an ice making assembly, an ice storage assembly and a controller, and the ice making assembly is used for preparing ice blocks; the ice storage assembly is used for storing the ice blocks prepared by the ice making assembly, the ice blocks are stacked in the ice storage assembly according to the preparation time sequence to form an ice block stacking body, and the ice blocks on the upper surface of the ice block stacking body are the latest ice blocks with the most later preparation time sequence; the controller is configured to receive the first signal, judge whether ice blocks are not newly added to the ice storage assembly or not according to the first signal, execute timing operation and output a second signal based on timing duration under the condition that the ice blocks are not newly added, and the second signal is used for triggering and indicating the fresh state of the ice blocks in the ice storage assembly and providing indication of the freshness of the ice blocks for a user; the eating experience and safety are ensured, and the friendliness of a user product is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to household appliances, and more specifically, relates to an ice-making device and an ice-making method. Background Art

[0002] With the rapid development of social economy and the increasing improvement of people's living standards, the demand for ice-making devices shows a significant growth trend. This growth stems from various factors, including the booming development of the catering industry, the popularity of cold drink consumption, and the increasing demand for home-made cold drinks. However, while ice-making devices are widely used, the storage safety problem of ice cubes has become increasingly prominent. The ice cubes produced by ice-making devices, especially during long-term storage, will breed various bacteria and microorganisms. Therefore, users are prone to safety risks when consuming ice cubes stored for a long time. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of the embodiments of this application is to provide an ice-making device and an ice-making method to solve the technical problem in the prior art that users are prone to safety risks when consuming ice cubes stored for a long time.

[0004] To achieve the above purpose, the technical solution adopted in this application is: to provide an ice-making device, the ice-making device includes:

[0005] An ice-making component; the ice-making component is used to prepare ice cubes;

[0006] An ice storage component; the ice storage component is used to store the ice cubes prepared by the ice-making component, and the ice cubes are stacked in the ice storage component according to the preparation time sequence to form an ice cube stack, and the ice cubes on the upper surface of the ice cube stack are the latest ice cubes with the most recent preparation time sequence;

[0007] A controller; the controller is configured to:

[0008] Receive a first signal, judge whether the ice storage component no longer adds ice cubes according to the first signal, and in the case of no longer adding ice cubes, perform a timing operation, and output a second signal based on the timing duration, and the second signal is used to trigger an indication of the fresh state of the ice cubes in the ice storage component.

[0009] Optionally, the ice-making device further includes an ice detection component; the ice detection component is used to detect the ice storage amount in the ice storage component and send ice storage amount information, and the ice storage amount information is used as the first signal;

[0010] A controller; the controller is configured to:

[0011] Receive the ice storage amount information, and in the case where the ice storage amount information indicates that the ice cubes in the ice storage component are full, judge that the ice storage component no longer adds ice cubes and perform a timing operation.

[0012] Optionally, the ice-making device further includes:

[0013] Water injection assembly; the water injection assembly is used to inject water into the ice making assembly for the ice making assembly to prepare ice cubes.

[0014] Water injection detector; the water injection detector is used to detect whether the water injection is successful, and in the case of water injection failure, send out a water injection failure signal, and the water injection failure signal is used as the first signal.

[0015] The controller is further configured to: judge that no new ice cubes are added to the ice storage assembly according to the water injection failure signal, and perform a timing operation.

[0016] Optionally, the controller is further configured to: receive a signal to stop ice making, and the signal to stop ice making is used as the first signal.

[0017] In response to receiving the signal to stop ice making, judge whether the timing operation has been started.

[0018] If the timing operation has been started, continue the timing operation; if the timing operation has not been started, start the timing operation.

[0019] Optionally, the controller is further configured to:

[0020] Receive a signal to start ice making.

[0021] In response to receiving the signal to start ice making, control the ice making assembly to prepare ice cubes, and store the prepared ice cubes in the ice storage assembly, covering the ice cubes that have been stored.

[0022] After storing the prepared ice cubes in the ice storage assembly, cancel the timing operation.

[0023] Optionally, the ice storage assembly includes an opening and closing mechanism and an opening and closing detector.

[0024] The opening and closing mechanism is used to open or close the ice storage assembly.

[0025] The opening and closing detector is used to detect whether the opening and closing mechanism is opened, and send out a closing signal after the opening and closing mechanism is opened and then closed.

[0026] The controller is further configured to: receive the closing signal, and in response to the closing signal, control the ice detecting assembly to re-detect the ice storage amount and judge whether the ice storage amount has decreased.

[0027] If the ice storage amount has not decreased, continue the timing operation.

[0028] If the ice storage amount has decreased, restart the timing operation.

[0029] Optionally, the controller is further configured to:

[0030] When the decrease in the ice storage amount reaches the second target value, control the ice making assembly to prepare ice cubes, and store the prepared ice cubes in the ice storage assembly, covering the ice cubes that have been stored.

[0031] After storing the prepared ice cubes into the ice storage component, cancel the timing operation.

[0032] Optionally, the controller is specifically configured to:

[0033] When the timing duration reaches the first target value, output a second signal, and the second signal triggers an indicated ice cube freshness state of an expired state.

[0034] Optionally, the ice making component is located above the ice storage component;

[0035] The ice making device further includes an ice turning component for turning and dropping the ice cubes prepared by the ice making component into the ice storage component, so that the ice cubes on the upper surface of the ice cube stack are the latest ice cubes with the most recent preparation sequence.

[0036] The present application also provides an ice making method, which includes:

[0037] Storing the prepared ice cubes, and the ice cubes are stacked according to the preparation sequence to form an ice cube stack, and the ice cubes on the upper surface of the ice cube stack are the latest ice cubes with the most recent preparation sequence;

[0038] Receiving a first signal, judging whether to no longer newly store ice cubes according to the first signal, and when it is determined that no new ice cubes are added, performing a timing operation;

[0039] Outputting a second signal based on the timing duration, and the second signal is used to trigger an indication of the ice cube freshness state.

[0040] The beneficial effects of the ice making device and the ice making method provided by the present application are as follows: Compared with the prior art, in the ice making device in the embodiments of the present application, the ice cubes prepared by the ice making component are stacked in the ice storage component, and the later the preparation time of the ice cubes closer to the upper surface of the ice cube stack, the ice storage amount in the ice storage component is detected by the ice detecting component. When the ice is full, a timing operation is performed, and a signal is output based on the timing duration to provide an indication of the ice cube freshness for the user, ensuring the eating experience and safety, and improving the user friendliness of the product. Description of the Drawings

[0041] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application, the following will briefly introduce the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the following drawings are only some embodiments of the present application. For those of ordinary skill in the art, other drawings can also be obtained based on these drawings without creative efforts.

[0042] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the ice making device in the embodiments of the present application;

[0043] Figure 2It is a schematic diagram of the refrigeration system in the ice-making equipment in the embodiment of the present application;

[0044] Figure 3 It is a flowchart of the operation process of the ice-making equipment in the embodiment of the present application;

[0045] Figure 4 It is a specific operation process flowchart of the ice-making equipment according to the first embodiment of the present application;

[0046] Figure 5 It is a specific operation process flowchart of the ice-making equipment according to the second embodiment of the present application;

[0047] Figure 6 It is a specific operation process flowchart of the ice-making equipment according to the third embodiment of the present application;

[0048] Figure 7 It is a specific operation process flowchart of the ice-making equipment according to the fourth embodiment of the present application;

[0049] Figure 8 It is a specific operation process flowchart of the ice-making equipment according to the fifth embodiment of the present application;

[0050] Figure 9 It is a specific operation process flowchart of the ice-making equipment according to the sixth embodiment of the present application;

[0051] Figure 10 It is a flowchart of the ice-making method in the embodiment of the present application.

[0052] Among them, the reference numerals in the figure are as follows:

[0053] Ice-making equipment 100; ice-making system 10; ice-making component 1; ice storage component 2; ice detection component 3; controller 4; water injection component 5; water injection detector 51; water injection pipe 52; ice turning component 6. Detailed implementation manners

[0054] In order to make the technical problems, technical solutions and beneficial effects to be solved by the present application more clear and understandable, the present application will be further described in detail below with reference to the drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present application and are not used to limit the present application.

[0055] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "disposed on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or indirectly on the other element. When an element is referred to as being "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or indirectly connected to the other element.

[0056] It should be understood that the terms "length", "width", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", etc., indicating the orientation or position relationship, are based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as a limitation on the present application.

[0057] In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of this application, the meaning of "plurality" is two or more, unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0058] Ice-making equipment, such as ice machines, refrigerators with ice-making functions, freezers, etc., have been widely used in various fields of life and production. However, after ice cubes made by ice-making equipment are stored for a long time, bacteria are easily bred. After being consumed, they may cause gastrointestinal discomfort in the human body and even affect health. Therefore, they are not suitable for consumption. This problem has received increasing attention and needs to be solved urgently.

[0059] After in-depth research by the inventors, it was found that there are three main sources of ice pollution: one is water pollution for preparing ice, the second is equipment pollution during the preparation process, and the third is environmental pollution during storage. It is worth noting that the first two, namely water pollution and equipment pollution, are not significantly different in terms of pollution level, whether it is fresh ice or long-term stored ice. In other words, even if high-quality water sources and strictly disinfected equipment are used, the initial pollution level can only be reduced, but the accumulation of pollution during long-term storage cannot be avoided. The real difference, which is also the key to the safety of ice storage, is mainly concentrated in the latter - environmental pollution during storage. Further analysis found that environmental pollution during storage is mainly concentrated on the surface of ice. This is because the inside of the ice is in a low temperature state, which makes it difficult for bacteria to penetrate, while the surface is in direct contact with the air, storage containers, etc., and it is easier to absorb dust and microorganisms in the air, as well as substances falling off the inner wall of the storage container. These pollutants form a thin film on the surface of the ice, providing a breeding ground for bacteria. Therefore, surface contamination is the biggest variable factor in ice storage and the main reason for excessive bacteria after long-term storage of ice.

[0060] The ice making device 100 in the embodiment of the present application is designed based on the above research theory. Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3 In the embodiment of the present application, the ice-making device 100 comprises:

[0061] Ice-making component 1; the ice-making component 1 is used to prepare ice cubes.

[0062] Ice storage component 2; the ice storage component 2 is used to store the ice cubes prepared by the ice-making component 1, and the ice cubes are stacked in the ice storage component 2 according to the preparation time sequence to form an ice cube stack, and the ice cubes on the upper surface of the ice cube stack are the latest ice cubes with the latest preparation time sequence.

[0063] Controller 4; the controller 4 is configured to:

[0064] Receive a first signal, judge whether the ice storage component 2 no longer adds new ice cubes according to the first signal, in the case of no longer adding new ice cubes, perform a timing operation, and output a second signal based on the timing duration, and the second signal is used to trigger an indication of the fresh state of the ice cubes in the ice storage component.

[0065] The ice-making device 100 can be an ice maker, a refrigerator with an ice-making system 10, a freezer, etc. For example, Figure 1 in the illustrated embodiment, it is a refrigerator with an ice-making system 10, and the specific structure of the ice-making system 10 can be referred to Figure 2 , where.

[0066] Please refer to FIG. 2. The ice-making component 1 is the part of the ice-making device 100 responsible for preparing ice cubes. It converts water into ice cubes through specific refrigeration technologies and structures, and is the core component for the entire device to achieve the ice-making function. For example, it may include a refrigeration compressor, an evaporator, an ice-making mold, etc. Through the circulation and heat exchange of the refrigerant, water is frozen into ice in the mold.

[0067] The main function of the ice storage component 2 is to store the ice cubes prepared by the ice-making component 1. Its characteristic is that the ice cubes will be stacked therein, and there is a time sequence rule, that is, the later the preparation time of the ice cubes closer to the upper surface of the ice cube stack. This is because the newly prepared ice cubes will be placed above the already stored ice cubes. This provides a basis for subsequent indication of the freshness of the ice cubes. The ice storage component 2 can be an ice storage drawer, an ice storage box, an ice storage chamber, etc.

[0068] The controller 4 receives a first signal, and the first signal is used to judge whether the ice storage component 2 no longer adds new ice cubes. Here, the first signal can be a signal specifically set for this judgment, or other signals in the ice-making device 100 that can be used to judge that the ice cubes no longer increase based on this. For example, the first signal can be a signal that the ice storage is full, a fault signal of the ice-making device 100, a user stop ice-making signal, etc. Based on these signals, it can be judged that the ice storage component 2 no longer adds new ice cubes.

[0069] In this embodiment, during ice making, the closer the ice is to the upper surface of the ice stack, the later the ice preparation time. The newly made ice will be placed above the stored ice. Based on the foregoing research, it is known that surface contamination is the largest variable factor in ice storage. When the stored ice is covered by the subsequent ice, it is in the ice stack, and it is no longer on the surface of the ice stack. Its contamination will hardly increase any more, and the bacteria originally attached to it will also go dormant at low temperatures and stop multiplying. The newly made ice replaces the previously stored ice and acts as the surface of the stack. At this time, the fresh state of the stored ice can be judged based on the new surface ice.

[0070] When the ice storage component 2 no longer adds new ice, that is, the ice on the surface of the ice stack is fixed and no longer updated. In this case, a timing operation is performed. When the timing starts, as time accumulates. The controller 4 outputs a second signal based on the timing duration. The function of this second signal is to trigger an indication of the fresh state of the ice in the ice storage component 2. As the timing duration increases, it means that the storage time of the ice is getting longer and the fresh state is decreasing. The second signal will trigger a certain way to convey the fresh state of the ice to the user. For example, when the timing duration is short, a green indicator light may be displayed to indicate that the ice is relatively fresh; when the timing duration reaches a certain level, a yellow indicator light is displayed to indicate that the fresh state of the ice is average; when the timing duration is longer, a red indicator light is displayed to indicate that the ice may not be very fresh and it is not recommended to continue eating. Another example is that when the timing duration reaches the preset ice expiration time, the controller 4 will trigger a communication function through the second signal to send a text message or an App notification to the user, reminding that the stored ice has expired and is not suitable for consumption.

[0071] Please refer to Figure 2 and Figure 4 , in some embodiments of the present application, the ice making device 100 further includes:

[0072] The ice making device 100 further includes an ice detecting component 3; the ice detecting component 3 is used to detect the ice storage amount in the ice storage component 2 and send the ice storage amount information, and the ice storage amount information is used as a first signal;

[0073] Controller 4; The controller 4 is configured to: receive ice storage amount information, and in the case where the ice storage amount information indicates that the ice in the ice storage component 2 is full, determine that no new ice is added to the ice storage component 2 and perform a timing operation. The function of the ice detection component 3 is to detect the ice storage amount in the ice storage component 2 and be able to send out the detected ice storage amount information. It can adopt various detection methods, such as a mechanical ice detection rod, infrared induction, ultrasonic induction, etc. When the height of the ice changes, the ice detection component 3 can sense it and convert it into corresponding electrical signals or other forms of information and send it to the subsequent control unit. For example, when the ice in the ice storage component 2 gradually increases and approaches the full state, the ice detection component 3 will detect this change and transmit the relevant ice storage amount information.

[0074] The controller 4 can receive the ice storage amount information sent by the ice detection component 3. Based on the ice storage amount information, it can determine whether no new ice is added to the ice storage component. When the ice storage amount information indicates that the ice in the ice storage component 2 is full, it can be determined that the ice in the ice storage component no longer increases, and the controller 4 starts to perform a timing operation. Specifically, the ice storage amount information can be a full ice signal directly sent by the ice detection component 3 to the controller 4 when the ice is full, or the ice detection component 3 sends information such as the ice storage height, and the controller 4 determines whether the ice is full based on this.

[0075] Before the ice is full, the ice making device 100 will continuously make ice. After the ice is full, no new ice can be added to the ice storage component 2, that is, the ice on the surface of the ice stack will not be replaced anymore. Therefore, in this embodiment, timing starts when the ice in the ice storage component 2 is full. At this time, the timing time can best reflect the freshness of the stored ice or the degree of contamination over time. Therefore, the ice making device 100 of this embodiment can provide an indication of the ice freshness to the user without the need to perform complex re - design on the ice making device 100 basically, ensuring the eating experience and safety and improving the user - friendliness of the product.

[0076] Please refer to Figure 2 and Figure 5 , in some embodiments of the present application, the ice making device 100 further includes:

[0077] A water injection component 5; The water injection component 5 is used to inject water into the ice making component 1 for the ice making component 1 to prepare ice;

[0078] A water injection detector 51; The water injection detector 51 is used to detect whether the water injection is successful, and in the case of water injection failure, send out a water injection failure signal, and the water injection failure signal is used as the first signal;

[0079] The controller 4 is configured to: determine that no new ice is added to the ice storage component according to the water injection failure signal and perform a timing operation.

[0080] The water injection assembly 5 functions to supply water for ice making to the ice making assembly 1 in the ice making device 100. The water injection assembly 5 can deliver water into the ice making assembly 1 through specific pipelines and control devices to ensure an adequate water source supply during the ice making process. For example, the water injection assembly 5 may include components such as a water pump, water pipes, and valves. The water pump is responsible for pumping water from the water source and delivering it through the water pipes to the corresponding position of the ice making assembly 1, and the valves can control the water flow rate and on / off to ensure the accuracy and stability of the water injection process. Only when the water injection assembly 5 operates normally and injects an appropriate amount of water into the ice making assembly 1 can the ice making assembly 1 smoothly carry out the ice making operation.

[0081] The main function of the water injection detector 51 is to monitor in real time whether the water injection process of the water injection assembly 5 is successful. It can adopt various detection techniques, such as non-contact liquid level sensors, pressure sensors, etc. The non-contact liquid level sensor can detect changes in the water level inside the ice making assembly 1 in a non-contact manner to determine whether sufficient water has been injected; the pressure sensor can determine whether the water injection is proceeding normally by detecting changes in the pressure inside the water injection pipe 52. Once a water injection failure is detected, the water injection detector 51 will send a water injection failure signal, feeding back this abnormal situation to the controller 4 in a timely manner. This water injection failure signal can serve as the first signal. When the controller 4 receives the water injection failure signal, it can determine that no new ice cubes are added to the ice storage assembly.

[0082] Based on this, the controller 4 determines that no new ice cubes are added to the ice storage assembly according to the water injection failure signal and performs a timing operation. This means that when the water injection detector 51 detects a water injection failure and sends a signal, the controller 4 will start timing after receiving the signal. After starting the timing, it can output a second signal based on the timing duration as described in the foregoing embodiments to trigger an indication of the freshness state of the ice cubes in the ice storage assembly 2.

[0083] A water injection failure means that the ice making assembly 1 cannot produce new ice cubes, and there will no longer be new ice cubes covering the stored ice cubes. The ice making device 100 continuously makes ice before it is full of ice. That is to say, from the last round of ice making when the ice is put into the ice storage assembly 2 until the water injection failure signal is sent, there is usually only an interval of one water injection time, which is usually about 10s - 60s, and this time can be completely ignored. Therefore, in this embodiment, choosing the water injection failure time as the starting moment of timing will not affect the indication of the ice cube freshness at all, and moreover, it can greatly simplify the process without the need to perform timing every time after ice making is completed.

[0084] Please refer to Figure 2 , in some embodiments of the present application, the water injection assembly 5 includes a water injection pipe 52 for injecting water into the ice making assembly 1;

[0085] The water injection detector 51 includes a temperature sensor which is arranged on the water injection pipe 52 and used to detect the temperature change of the water injection pipe 52;

[0086] The temperature sensor is configured to:

[0087] After the water injection component 5 starts to inject water into the ice making component 1, detect whether the temperature of the water injection pipe 52 changes within a specified time;

[0088] If the temperature changes, it is determined that the water injection is successful;

[0089] If the temperature does not change, it is determined that the water injection fails and a water injection failure signal is sent.

[0090] The main function of the water injection pipe 52 is to transport water from a water source (such as a water tank, etc.) to the ice making component 1 to provide the necessary water source for ice making. The water injection pipe 52 can be arranged above the ice making component 1 without contacting it to prevent being blocked by freezing.

[0091] As mentioned above, the water injection detector 51 can adopt a pressure sensor, a non-contact liquid level sensor, etc. In this embodiment, the water injection detector 51 adopts a temperature sensor which is arranged on the water injection pipe 52 to monitor the temperature change of the water injection pipe 52. When water flows through the water injection pipe 52, the temperature of the water will be transferred to the pipe wall, resulting in a change in the pipe wall temperature; while when there is no water flow, the temperature of the water injection pipe 52 is relatively stable and there is no obvious change. By detecting the temperature change of the water injection pipe 52, it is possible to indirectly judge whether the water injection process is proceeding normally.

[0092] The change in the ambient temperature will also cause the temperature change of the water injection pipe 52, but the change in the ambient temperature is slow, while the temperature change of the water injection pipe 52 caused by the water flow during water injection is rapid. Therefore, in this embodiment, the temperature change of the water injection pipe 52 within a specified time is detected. The specified time is usually equivalent to the water injection time or slightly longer than the water injection time. During this period, the ambient temperature will not change much, and the temperature change of the water injection pipe 52 can only come from the temperature change brought by the water flow flowing in the water injection pipe 52. Therefore, through the temperature sensor arranged on the water injection pipe 52, it is possible to detect whether the water injection is successful. If the temperature change of the water injection pipe 52 is detected within the specified time, it indicates that water flows through the water injection pipe 52 and enters the ice making component 1, that is, it is determined that the water injection is successful. The heat transfer of the water flow causes the change of the pipe wall temperature, which conforms to the normal situation during water injection. If the temperature of the water injection pipe 52 does not change within the specified time, it indicates that there is no water flow through the water injection pipe 52 or the water flow is extremely weak and cannot cause an obvious change in the pipe wall temperature. At this time, it is determined that the water injection fails, and the temperature sensor sends a water injection failure signal to feedback this abnormal situation to the controller 4. The controller 4 starts timing accordingly to indicate the freshness status of the stored ice cubes.

[0093] Please refer to Figure 6 , in some embodiments of the present application, the controller 4 is further configured to:

[0094] Receive a stop ice-making signal, and the stop ice-making signal serves as the first signal;

[0095] In response to receiving the stop ice-making signal, determine whether the timing operation has been started;

[0096] If the timing operation has been started, continue the timing operation; if the timing operation has not been started, start the timing operation.

[0097] During the operation of the ice-making device 100, the user can stop ice-making at any time. For example, the user can interact with the ice-making device 100 through components such as a remote control or a button to generate and send a stop ice-making signal to the controller 4. After receiving the stop ice-making signal, the controller 4 determines whether the current timing operation has been started. The timing operation here is the timing operation for indicating the freshness state of the ice cubes in the above embodiments, and the timing may start when the ice cubes are full or when water injection fails.

[0098] If the timing operation is already in progress when the stop ice-making signal is received, for example, the timing has been started before due to the ice cubes being full or water injection failure, then the controller 4 will continue the timing operation. Because after stopping ice-making, no newly made ice cubes will cover the stored ice cubes, so by continuing the original timing, it is possible to more accurately understand how long the ice cubes have been stored since they were full, and thus more precisely determine the freshness state of the ice cubes.

[0099] When the stop ice-making signal is received, if the timing operation has not been started, the controller 4 will start the timing operation. Taking this moment as the starting point of timing, although there is a slight delay, since the single ice-making cycle is usually 1 - 2 hours, it has little impact on prompting the freshness of the refrigerator.

[0100] It should also be noted here that although the refrigerator has stopped ice-making, in the low-temperature environment inside the ice-making device 100, the ice cubes on the ice-making component 1 may still be frozen for a long time. However, since the stop ice-making command has been issued, the made ice cubes will not be stored in the ice storage component 2, and thus will not affect the freshness of the ice cubes in the ice storage component 2.

[0101] Please refer to Figure 7 , in some embodiments of the present application, the controller 4 is further configured to:

[0102] Receive a start ice-making signal;

[0103] In response to receiving the ice-making start signal, the ice-making assembly 1 is controlled to prepare ice cubes, and the prepared ice cubes are stored in the ice storage assembly 2 and cover the ice cubes that have already been stored.

[0104] After storing the prepared ice cubes in the ice storage assembly 2, the timing operation is cancelled.

[0105] After stopping ice-making, the user may resume ice-making. For example, by sending an ice-making start signal through a remote control, an app, a button, etc., when the controller 4 receives the ice-making start signal, it will send a command to the ice-making assembly 1 to start ice-making, such as starting components like a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator, etc., causing the ice-making assembly 1 to start working again and absorb the heat of the water in the ice-making assembly 1, thereby gradually freezing the water into ice cubes.

[0106] After ice-making is completed, the controller 4 will further control the corresponding mechanical device or transmission system to transfer the made ice cubes to the ice storage assembly 2. And, according to the design requirements, the newly prepared ice cubes will cover the ice cubes that have already been stored. This stacking method conforms to the previously mentioned feature that the ice cubes closer to the upper surface of the ice cube stack are prepared later. At this time, the newly added ice cubes in the ice storage assembly 2 serve as the outer surface of the ice cube stack, and the previous timing can no longer judge the freshness state of the ice cubes. Therefore, the timing is cancelled to avoid the interference of old timing data on subsequent judgment and control. Cancelling the timing can prepare for subsequent possible timing requirements, such as timing when the storage upper limit is reached again, ensuring that the judgment of information such as the freshness state of the ice cubes is more accurate and reliable.

[0107] Please refer to Figure 8 , in some embodiments of the present application, the ice storage assembly 2 includes an opening / closing mechanism and an opening / closing detector;

[0108] The opening / closing mechanism is used to open or close the ice storage assembly 2;

[0109] The opening / closing detector is used to detect whether the opening / closing mechanism is open, and send a closing signal after the opening / closing mechanism is opened and then closed;

[0110] The controller 4 is further configured to: receive the closing signal, and in response to the closing signal, control the ice probing assembly 3 to re-detect the ice cube storage amount and judge whether the ice cube storage amount has decreased;

[0111] If the ice cube storage amount has not decreased, continue the timing operation;

[0112] If the ice cube storage amount has decreased, start the timing operation again.

[0113] The opening and closing mechanism is mainly used to open or close the ice storage component 2. When the opening and closing mechanism opens the ice storage component 2, operations such as taking ice cubes and cleaning and maintaining the ice storage component 2 can be carried out; while closing the ice storage component 2 can maintain the low-temperature storage environment of the ice cubes, reduce heat entry, prevent the ice cubes from melting, and prevent external bacteria, dust and other pollutants from entering. The opening and closing mechanism can be structures such as a door or a drawer, and the opening and closing actions are realized through electric or manual operations.

[0114] The opening and closing detector is used to monitor the state of the opening and closing mechanism in real time. It can accurately detect whether the opening and closing mechanism is in the open state, and when the opening and closing mechanism changes from the open state to the closed state, it will send a closing signal. The opening and closing detector can use sensors such as limit switches and photoelectric sensors. For example, when the opening and closing mechanism is opened, the state of the sensor changes; when it is closed again, the sensor detects that the state has returned, thereby triggering the sending of a closing signal.

[0115] Because after the opening and closing mechanism is opened and then closed, it may be that the user has carried out an ice-taking operation. When the controller 4 receives the closing signal sent by the opening and closing detector, the controller 4 will control the ice detection component 3 to re-detect the ice storage amount in the ice storage component 2.

[0116] If the ice storage amount has not decreased, this means that during the opening and closing process of the opening and closing mechanism, no ice cubes have been taken or the loss of ice cubes is extremely small and can be ignored. At this time, the controller 4 will continue the previous timing operation. Because when no ice cubes are taken or very few ice cubes are taken, the ice cubes on the surface of the ice cube stack cannot be updated. Therefore, the controller 4 will continue the previous timing operation, which can more accurately reflect the actual storage duration of the ice cubes, and thus provide more accurate ice cube freshness information for the user.

[0117] If the ice storage amount decreases, it means that ice cubes have been taken during the opening of the opening and closing mechanism. At this time, according to the normal taking order, the ice cubes on the upper surface of the ice cube stack have been taken away, and the ice storage situation reflected by the previous timing is no longer applicable. Therefore, the controller 4 will restart the timing operation. This can record the storage time of the remaining ice cubes from a new time starting point, ensuring that the subsequent judgment of the fresh state of the ice cubes is based on the actual storage duration of the current remaining ice cubes.

[0118] Please refer to Figure 9 , in some embodiments of the present application, the controller 4 is further configured to:

[0119] When the ice storage amount decreases to reach the second target value, control the ice making component 1 to make ice cubes, and store the made ice cubes into the ice storage component 2, covering the ice cubes that have been stored;

[0120] After storing the made ice cubes into the ice storage component 2, cancel the timing operation.

[0121] When the amount of ice cubes reduced reaches a certain level, the ice-making device 100 will restart ice-making, and this certain level is confirmed by a second target value. The second target value is a pre-set threshold value, which represents the limit when the number of ice cubes in the ice storage component 2 is reduced to a certain level. The setting of the second target value can be based on the amount of ice made in one cycle. For example, the second target value is set equal to the amount of ice made by the ice-making device 100 in one cycle. When the stored ice cubes are reduced to the amount of ice made in one cycle, ice-making can be restarted. Or, the purpose of setting the second target value is to ensure that the ice-making device 100 can replenish ice cubes in time to meet the user's usage requirements. When the ice storage amount is reduced to this target value, it indicates that the existing ice reserve may not be sufficient to meet the usage in the subsequent period of time. Therefore, it is necessary to start the ice-making process to increase the ice reserve.

[0122] When the ice storage amount is reduced to the second target value, the controller 4 will quickly issue a control instruction to start the ice-making component 1 to prepare ice cubes. When the ice-making component 1 finishes preparing ice cubes and covers the newly made ice cubes on the already stored ice cubes, the controller 4 cancels the timing operation. This is because when the newly made ice cubes are covered on the already stored ice cubes, the ice cubes on the surface of the ice stack have changed significantly, and the previous timing can no longer be used as a standard for judging the freshness of the ice cubes. Therefore, the previous timing is cancelled. After cancelling the timing, if there is a need for timing again later, such as when the ice storage amount reaches the full state again, after the opening and closing mechanism operates, etc., the controller 4 can restart the timing, so as to ensure that the timing data can provide more accurate ice cube freshness information for the user.

[0123] In some embodiments of the present application, the controller 4 is specifically configured to:

[0124] When the timing duration reaches the first target value, output a second signal, and the second signal triggers an expired state for the indicated ice cube freshness state.

[0125] During the operation of the ice-making device 100, timing may be started due to various situations, such as when the ice storage amount reaches the full state, water injection fails, ice-making stops, etc. The first target value is mainly used to identify whether the ice cubes have expired. If expired ice cubes are still consumed, there is a certain safety risk. The first target value can be preset at the factory, or can be adjusted by the user, or both. For example, the range of the first target value that can be set at the factory is provided, and the user can adjust the first target value within this range. In some embodiments, the first target value can be a time range from 1 week to 2 weeks.

[0126] When the controller 4 monitors that the timing duration has reached the first target value, it outputs a second signal. In this embodiment, the function of the second signal is to trigger an ice cube expiration reminder. The ice making device 100 is usually equipped with corresponding reminder devices, such as indicator lights, display screens, buzzers, etc.; or by means of text messages, apps, etc. For example, the indicator light may turn red to remind the user that the ice cubes have expired; relevant text information, such as "The ice cubes have expired and are not recommended for consumption", will be displayed on the display screen; the buzzer may emit a sound alarm to attract the user's attention; the ice making device 100 sends information to the user by means of text messages, apps, etc. to remind the user that the ice cubes have expired. In this way, the user can timely understand the status of the ice cubes, so as to make reasonable decisions, such as timely dealing with the expired ice cubes, avoiding eating ice cubes that may have potential safety hazards, and can also clean the ice making device 100 in time.

[0127] Please refer to Figure 2 , in some embodiments of the present application, the ice making component 1 is located above the ice storage component 2; the ice making device 100 further includes an ice turning component 6, and the ice turning component 6 is used to turn the ice cubes prepared by the ice making component 1 and let them fall into the ice storage component 2, so that the ice cubes on the upper surface of the ice stack are the latest ice cubes with the latest preparation time sequence.

[0128] In the above embodiments, the ice cubes need to be stacked in the order of ice making. Therefore, in this embodiment, the ice making component 1 is located above the ice storage component 2. When the ice making component 1 finishes preparing the ice cubes, the ice cubes can move downward smoothly by means of their own gravity and enter the lower ice storage component 2 without the need for additional complex power devices to push the ice cubes to transfer. This not only simplifies the structure and operation mechanism of the device, but also enables the ice cubes to be stacked up and down in the order of ice making.

[0129] The main function of the ice turning component 6 is to turn the ice cubes prepared by the ice making component 1 so that they fall into the ice storage component 2. In this way, it can ensure that the closer the ice cubes are to the upper surface of the ice stack, the later the preparation time, and ensure that the ice cubes on the upper surface of the ice stack are the latest ice cubes with the latest preparation time sequence, forming a reasonable ice storage order, so as to realize the indication of the freshness of the ice cubes in the above embodiments. The ice turning component 6 can be a device such as a motor or a cylinder that can drive the ice making component 1 to turn.

[0130] Such as Figure 1 and Figure 2The figure shows a schematic diagram of an ice-making system 10 in an ice-making device 100 of the present application. When the water injection assembly 5 is activated, under the action of a water pump, water is sucked into the water injection pipe 52. At the lower aluminum pipe section of the water injection pipe 52, a heating wire component is wound to keep the water injection pipe 52 at a certain temperature, preventing residual water from being frozen in the pipe due to the low temperature of the freezer and blocking the water injection pipe 52. At the same time, a temperature sensor is clamped in the water injection pipe 52 to sense temperature changes. When water injection flow passes through, the temperature sensor will feedback a sudden temperature fluctuation signal. For example, after the water pump is started, if there is no obvious temperature fluctuation in the temperature sensor within a specified time, it is considered that the water injection fails. Possible reasons for water injection failure include water shortage in the upper water storage box, water pump failure, valve opening failure, etc. If an obvious temperature fluctuation is sensed, it is considered that the water injection is successful. The water injected into the water injection pipe 52 will eventually flow into the ice grid of the ice-making component 1 and start to freeze. When the freezing is completed, the ice probe of the ice probing component 3 will rotate to a certain angle for ice probing. If the ice probe can rotate to the specified angle, it proves that the ice storage box of the ice storage component is not full of ice, and then the ice flipping component 6 will drive the ice grid to twist, flipping the ice in the ice grid into the ice storage box. If the ice probe fails to rotate to the specified angle, it proves that the ice storage box is already full of ice, and the ice flipping component 6 will no longer perform the ice flipping action until the ice storage drawer is opened. After the user takes the ice and the ice probe continues to probe and finds that the ice storage box is not full of ice, the ice flipping action is performed and then water injection is carried out again for ice making.

[0131] According to the foregoing research theory, the present application also provides an ice-making method. In some embodiments, the ice-making method includes:

[0132] Storing the prepared ice cubes, and stacking the ice cubes according to the preparation time sequence to form an ice cube stack. The ice cubes on the upper surface of the ice cube stack are the latest ice cubes with the latest preparation time sequence.

[0133] Receiving a first signal, and judging whether to stop adding stored ice cubes according to the first signal. When it is determined that no more ice cubes are added, a timing operation is performed;

[0134] Outputting a second signal based on the timing duration, and the second signal is used to trigger an indication of the fresh state of the ice cubes.

[0135] In this embodiment, the ice cubes are stacked and stored as needed. After the ice cubes are made, the prepared ice cubes are stacked and stored, and it is necessary to ensure that the ice cubes closer to the upper surface of the ice cube stack are prepared later. This requirement can be completed by the ice flipping component 6 shown above. For example, in the ice-making device 100 mentioned above, the ice-making component 1 is located above the ice storage component 2, and the ice cubes prepared by the ice-making component 1 are flipped and dropped into the ice storage component 2 by means of the ice flipping component 6. The newly prepared ice cubes always fall into the ice storage component 2 last, and will accumulate on top of the previously stored ice cubes, naturally forming a stacking method that meets the requirements.

[0136] The first signal is used to determine whether no new ice cubes are added. Here, the first signal can be a signal specifically set for this judgment, or other signals that can be used to judge that the ice cubes are no longer increasing. For example, the first signal can be a signal indicating that the ice storage is full, a fault signal of the ice-making device, a user's signal to stop ice-making, and so on. Based on these signals, it can be determined that the ice storage component 2 no longer adds new ice cubes. As Figure 10 shown, in some embodiments of the present application, it is determined whether no new stored ice cubes are added according to the first signal. When it is determined that no new ice cubes are added, a timing operation is performed, which can be one of the following situations:

[0137] When the ice cubes in the ice storage component 2 reach the full state, the timing operation starts. This is because at this time, the ice cubes start to be stored for a long time, and as time goes by, the fresh state of the ice cubes will gradually decline. Timing can record the storage duration of the ice cubes starting from the full bin, providing a basis for subsequent freshness judgment. For example, the ice detection component 3 in the ice-making device 100 can detect the ice storage amount. When it detects that the ice is full, it transmits a signal to the controller 4, and the controller 4 starts timing.

[0138] During the ice-making process, if the water injection component 5 fails to inject water into the ice-making component 1, the timing operation will also be triggered. The water injection detector 51 detects whether the water injection is successful. If it fails, it emits a signal, and the controller 4 responds to the signal and starts timing. The water injection detector 51 can adopt a temperature sensor on the water injection pipe 52.

[0139] When the stop ice-making signal is received, the controller 4 can also start timing, but the controller 4 can determine whether the timing operation has been started. If it has not been started, it starts timing; if it has been started, it continues timing. After stopping ice-making, the stored ice cubes are no longer replenished with new ones, and the storage time has a more critical impact on freshness. Recording the time after stopping ice-making can more accurately reflect the storage duration of the ice cubes in the current state.

[0140] According to the timing duration, a second signal can be output, and this signal is used to trigger an indication of the fresh state of the ice cubes in the ice storage component 2. For example, as the timing duration increases, it means that the storage time of the ice cubes becomes longer and the fresh state decreases. The second signal can indicate freshness in different ways, such as controlling the color change of the indicator light, displaying specific prompt information on the display screen, etc. For example, when the timing duration is short, the indicator light shows green; when it reaches a certain duration, it shows yellow; when it exceeds a longer time, it shows red, reminding the user of the freshness of the ice cubes. In this way, the problem that users are prone to safety risks when consuming ice cubes stored for a long time can be solved.

[0141] After stopping ice-making, the user may resume ice-making. After resuming ice-making and covering the newly prepared ice cubes on the already stored ice cubes, the previous timing can no longer be used to judge the freshness of the ice cubes, and the timing operation can be cancelled.

[0142] After the position for storing ice cubes is opened, the user may or may not take ice cubes, or even take only a very small amount of ice cubes. At this time, after the ice cube storage position is closed, the ice cube storage amount can be detected again to determine whether the ice cube storage amount has decreased; if the ice cube storage amount has not decreased and the ice cubes on the surface of the ice cube stack have remained unchanged or the change amount is very small, the previous timing can still indicate the freshness of the ice cubes, so the timing operation continues; if the ice cube storage amount has decreased and the ice cubes on the surface of the ice cube stack have been updated, the timing operation can be restarted.

[0143] When the amount of ice cubes reduced reaches a certain level, the ice making device 100 will make ice again. When the ice making component 1 finishes making ice cubes and covers the newly made ice cubes on the stored ice cubes, the previous timing can no longer be used to judge the freshness of the ice cubes, so the timing operation is cancelled. If a situation where timing is required appears again later, such as when the ice cube storage amount reaches the full state again, after the opening and closing mechanism operates, etc., the timing can be restarted, so as to ensure that the timing data can provide more accurate ice cube freshness information for the user.

[0144] The above are only the preferred embodiments of the present application, and are not intended to limit the present application. Any modifications, equivalent replacements, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principle of the present application shall be included within the protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. An ice-making device, characterized in that, The ice-making device includes: An ice-making component; the ice-making component is used to prepare ice cubes. An ice storage component; the ice storage component is used to store the ice cubes prepared by the ice-making component, and the ice cubes are stacked in the ice storage component according to the preparation sequence to form an ice cube stack, and the ice cubes on the upper surface of the ice cube stack are the latest ice cubes with the most recent preparation sequence. A controller; the controller is configured to: Receive a first signal, judge whether the ice storage component no longer adds new ice cubes according to the first signal, and in the case of no longer adding new ice cubes, perform a timing operation, and output a second signal based on the timing duration, and the second signal is used to trigger an indication of the fresh state of the ice cubes in the ice storage component.

2. The ice-making device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ice-making device further includes an ice detection component; the ice detection component is used to detect the ice storage amount in the ice storage component and send ice storage amount information, and the ice storage amount information serves as the first signal. A controller; the controller is configured to: receive the ice storage amount information, and in the case where the ice storage amount information indicates that the ice in the ice storage component is full, judge that the ice storage component no longer adds new ice cubes, and perform the timing operation.

3. The ice-making device according to claim 1, wherein, The ice-making device further includes: A water injection component; the water injection component is used to inject water into the ice-making component for the ice-making component to prepare ice cubes. A water injection detector; the water injection detector is used to detect whether the water injection is successful, and in the case of water injection failure, send a water injection failure signal, and the water injection failure signal serves as the first signal. The controller is further configured to: judge that the ice storage component no longer adds new ice cubes according to the water injection failure signal, and perform the timing operation.

4. The ice-making device according to claim 1, wherein, The controller is configured to: receive a stop ice-making signal, and the stop ice-making signal serves as the first signal. In response to receiving the stop ice-making signal, judge whether the timing operation has been started. If the timing operation has been started, continue the timing operation; if the timing operation has not been started, start the timing operation.

5. The ice-making device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The controller is further configured to: Receive a start ice-making signal. In response to receiving the start ice-making signal, control the ice-making component to prepare ice cubes, and store the prepared ice cubes in the ice storage component, covering the ice cubes that have already been stored. After storing the prepared ice cubes in the ice storage component, cancel the timing operation.

6. The ice-making device according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The ice storage component includes an opening and closing mechanism and an opening and closing detector. The opening and closing mechanism is used to open or close the ice storage component. The opening and closing detector is used to detect whether the opening and closing mechanism is opened, and send a closing signal after the opening and closing mechanism is opened and then closed. The controller is further configured to: receive the closing signal, and in response to the closing signal, control the ice detection component to re-detect the ice storage amount, and judge whether the ice storage amount decreases. If the ice storage amount does not decrease, continue the timing operation. If the ice storage amount decreases, restart the timing operation.

7. The ice-making device according to claim 6, characterized in that, The controller is further configured to: When the decrease in the ice storage amount reaches a second target value, control the ice-making component to prepare ice cubes, and store the prepared ice cubes in the ice storage component, covering the ice cubes that have already been stored. After storing the prepared ice cubes in the ice storage component, cancel the timing operation.

8. The ice-making device according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The controller is specifically configured to: When the timing duration reaches the first target value, output the second signal, and the ice freshness status indicated by the second signal is the expired status.

9. The ice making device according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The ice making component is located above the ice storage component; The ice making device further includes an ice turning component, which is used to turn and drop the ice cubes prepared by the ice making component into the ice storage component, so that the ice cubes on the upper surface of the ice stack are the latest ice cubes with the latest preparation time sequence.

10. A method for making ice, characterized in that, The ice making method includes: Storing the prepared ice cubes, and the ice cubes are stacked according to the preparation time sequence to form an ice stack, and the ice cubes on the upper surface of the ice stack are the latest ice cubes with the latest preparation time sequence; Receiving the first signal, judging whether to stop adding stored ice cubes according to the first signal, and when it is determined that no more ice cubes are added, performing a timing operation; Outputting a second signal based on the timing duration, and the second signal is used to trigger and indicate the ice freshness status.

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