Door body control system, refrigerator and door body control method

Abstract

The invention discloses a door body control system, a refrigerator and a door body control method. The door body control system comprises a hinge, the hinge comprises a first hinge base, a second hinge base, a transmission assembly and an electromagnetic damper, the transmission assembly comprises a first transmission rod, a second transmission rod, a third transmission rod and a fourth transmission rod, and the electromagnetic damper is arranged on at least one of hinge points of the hinge; the power supply is electrically connected with the electromagnetic damper; the judging module is used for judging whether an adjusting condition is met or not and sending out an adjusting signal when the adjusting condition is met; and the controller is electrically connected with the power supply and the judgment module, and is used for controlling the magnitude of the current provided for the electromagnetic damper by the power supply when receiving the adjusting signal. According to the hinge, the damping performance can be kept in a better state, and the current introduced into the electromagnetic damper can be adjusted, so that the damping performance of the electromagnetic damper can be adjusted, the use flexibility is better, and the hinge can better adapt to the intelligent requirement.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of refrigerators, and in particular to a door control system, a refrigerator, and a door control method. Background Art

[0002] Refrigerator hinges are the most commonly used components for rotating and opening refrigerator doors. They connect the door to the refrigerator's interior, allowing the door to rotate relative to the interior to open or close the refrigerator's storage compartment. To ensure a secure closure between the door and the interior, existing refrigerator hinges typically utilize a six-link transmission mechanism with a purely mechanical damping mechanism. This damping mechanism primarily serves to smooth the door's opening speed and mitigate impact.

[0003] The hinge includes a first hinge seat, a second hinge seat and a transmission assembly, wherein the first hinge seat is mounted on the box body, the second hinge seat is mounted on the door body, the transmission assembly is hinged between the first hinge seat and the second hinge seat, the front end of the transmission assembly is hinged to the first hinge seat, and the rear end of the transmission assembly is hinged to the second hinge seat. The transmission assembly also includes a first transmission rod, a second transmission rod, a third transmission rod and a fourth transmission rod, wherein the front end of the first transmission rod is hinged to the first hinge seat through a first hinge point, the front end of the second transmission rod is hinged to the first hinge seat through a second hinge point, the rear end of the first transmission rod is hinged to the front end of the third transmission rod through a third hinge point, the rear end of the third transmission rod is hinged to the second hinge seat through a fourth hinge point, the front end of the fourth transmission rod is hinged to the middle part of the second transmission rod through a fifth hinge point, the rear end of the fourth transmission rod is hinged to the second hinge seat through a sixth hinge point, and the rear end of the second transmission rod is hinged to the middle part of the third transmission rod through a seventh hinge point.

[0004] Purely mechanical damping structures tend to fatigue with increased use, leading to performance degradation. After a while, their functionality weakens, making it difficult to maintain optimal damping performance, resulting in a poor user experience. Furthermore, the resistance provided by purely mechanical damping structures remains constant throughout use, lacking flexibility and unable to adapt to the demands of intelligent systems. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to overcome the defects in the prior art that the damping performance of refrigerator hinges is difficult to maintain in an optimal state and the flexibility of use is poor, and to provide a door control system, a refrigerator and a door control method.

[0006] The present invention solves the above technical problems through the following technical solutions:

[0007] A door control system for controlling the opening and closing of a refrigerator door, the door control system comprising a hinge, the hinge connecting the refrigerator body and the door, the hinge comprising a first hinge seat, a second hinge seat, and a transmission assembly, the first hinge seat being configured to be mounted on the refrigerator body, the second hinge seat being configured to be mounted on the door, the transmission assembly being hingedly connected between the first hinge seat and the second hinge seat, and the transmission assembly comprising a first transmission rod, a second transmission rod, a third transmission rod, and a fourth transmission rod; the hinge further comprising an electromagnetic damper; the electromagnetic damper being provided on at least one of the hinge points of the hinge;

[0008] The door control system further includes:

[0009] a power supply electrically connected to the electromagnetic damper;

[0010] A judging module, configured to judge whether an adjustment condition is satisfied, and to send an adjustment signal when the adjustment condition is satisfied;

[0011] A controller is electrically connected to the power supply and the judgment module, and is used to control the magnitude of the current provided by the power supply to the electromagnetic damper when receiving the adjustment signal.

[0012] In this solution, the damping force is provided by an electromagnetic damper. Even with increased use, the electromagnetic damper is less likely to fatigue, maintaining optimal damping performance and providing a better user experience. Furthermore, the current flowing into the electromagnetic damper can be adjusted, thereby adjusting its damping performance. This provides greater flexibility and is well suited to the needs of intelligent systems.

[0013] Preferably, the hinge further comprises an angle sensor, the angle sensor being used to detect the angle between the two transmission rods at the corresponding hinge point or between one of the transmission rods and the corresponding hinge seat;

[0014] The angle sensor is used to send an angle signal after detecting the angle;

[0015] The controller is electrically connected to the angle sensor, and is configured to receive the angle signal and adjust the current when the angle corresponding to the angle signal reaches a preset angle;

[0016] The adjustment condition is that the corresponding angle in the angle signal reaches a preset angle.

[0017] In this solution, by taking the angle between the corresponding structural parts (the angle between the two transmission rods or between one of the transmission rods and the corresponding hinge seat) as the factor for judging the adjustment condition, during the process of opening and closing the door body, as the hinge works, the angle between the corresponding structural parts will change accordingly, and the size of the angle can reflect the working state of the hinge. Therefore, the setting of the adjustment condition is relatively convenient and reliable, which is conducive to ensuring that the damping can match the working process of the hinge, and further conducive to optimizing the user experience.

[0018] Preferably, the hinge further includes a wireless communication module, the wireless communication module is used for wireless connection with an external terminal device, and the wireless communication module is electrically connected to the angle sensor and the power supply.

[0019] In this solution, the wireless communication module facilitates intelligent control, facilitates obtaining angle signals according to actual needs, and facilitates control of the current flowing into the electromagnetic damper, thereby flexibly adjusting the damping force and further optimizing the user experience.

[0020] Preferably, the wireless communication module is used to wirelessly connect to the external terminal device via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.

[0021] In this solution, the connection method is simple, reliable and easy to implement.

[0022] Preferably, when the wireless communication module is in a connected state with the external terminal device, the door control system is configured to set the current threshold and / or door opening angle threshold passing into the electromagnetic damper by operating the external terminal device.

[0023] In this solution, the above settings are adopted to flexibly set the door opening angle threshold and the current threshold of the electromagnetic damper according to the actual usage scenario, making it more flexible to use.

[0024] Preferably, the wireless communication module is arranged in the first hinge seat.

[0025] In this solution, the above-mentioned setting is adopted. On the one hand, it can provide better protection for the wireless communication module, which is conducive to ensuring that the wireless communication module can work reliably and is conducive to ensuring the overall reliability of the door control system; on the other hand, the wireless communication module is set up using the space in the first hinge seat, which is conducive to improving space utilization.

[0026] Preferably, the front end of the first transmission rod is hinged to the first hinge seat via a first hinge point, and the front end of the second transmission rod is hinged to the first hinge seat via a second hinge point;

[0027] Wherein, the electromagnetic damper is provided on one of the first hinge point and the second hinge point, and the angle sensor is provided on the other one.

[0028] In this solution, since the first hinge seat is fixed to the box body, and the box body remains stationary during the opening and closing of the door body, the first hinge point and the second hinge point are correspondingly fixed hinge points. The electromagnetic damper and the angle sensor are respectively set at the two hinge points. The requirements for the circuits used to ensure the operation of the electromagnetic damper and the angle sensor are relatively low, and there is no need to reserve a large range of motion, which is conducive to reducing costs and avoiding the normal operation of other structures of the hinge due to excessively long circuits, which is less likely to affect the normal operation of the hinge. In addition, the electromagnetic damper and the angle sensor are set at different hinge points, so that both the electromagnetic damper and the angle sensor have sufficient installation space, and the installation is more reasonable.

[0029] Preferably, the first hinge seat comprises a horizontal portion and a vertical portion connected end to end, the first hinge point is located at an end of the vertical portion close to the horizontal portion, and the second hinge point is located at an end of the vertical portion away from the horizontal portion;

[0030] The number of the electromagnetic damper and the number of the angle sensor are both one, and the electromagnetic damper is arranged on the first hinge point, and the angle sensor is arranged on the second hinge point.

[0031] The present invention also provides a refrigerator, comprising a cabinet body and a door body, and the refrigerator further comprises the above-mentioned door body control system.

[0032] The present invention also provides a door control method, which adopts the above-mentioned door control system, and the door control method comprises the following steps:

[0033] determining whether an adjustment condition is met, and if so, sending an adjustment signal to the controller;

[0034] After receiving the adjustment signal, the controller controls the power supply to adjust the magnitude of the current provided to the electromagnetic damper.

[0035] The positive progress effect of the present invention is:

[0036] In this application, the damping force is provided by an electromagnetic damper. Even with increased use, the electromagnetic damper is less likely to fatigue, maintaining optimal damping performance and providing a better user experience. Furthermore, the current flowing into the electromagnetic damper can be adjusted, thereby adjusting its damping performance. This provides greater flexibility and adaptability to intelligent needs. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0037] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the modules of a door control system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0038] Figure 2 This is a schematic structural diagram of the hinge in a door control system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] Figure 3 This is another structural schematic diagram of the hinge in a door control system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0040] Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the flow of a door control method according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0041] 10First hinge seat

[0042] 101 Horizontal Section

[0043] 102 vertical part

[0044] 20 Second hinge seat

[0045] 30 first transmission rod

[0046] 40 second transmission rod

[0047] 50 third transmission rod

[0048] 60 fourth transmission rod

[0049] 70 first hinge point

[0050] 80 Second hinge point

[0051] 90 third hinge point

[0052] 100 fourth hinge point

[0053] 110 fifth hinge point

[0054] 120 Sixth hinge point

[0055] 130 Seventh hinge point

[0056] 140 electromagnetic damper

[0057] 150° angle sensor DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0058] The present invention is further described below by way of examples, but the present invention is not limited to the scope of the examples.

[0059] like Figures 1 to 3As shown, this embodiment provides a hinge and a refrigerator comprising the same, wherein the hinge is used to connect the body and door of the refrigerator, and comprises a first hinge seat 10, a second hinge seat 20 and a transmission assembly, wherein the first hinge seat 10 is used to be installed on the body, and the second hinge seat 20 is used to be installed on the door, and the transmission assembly is hingedly connected between the first hinge seat 10 and the second hinge seat 20, and the transmission assembly comprises a first transmission rod 30, a second transmission rod 40, a third transmission rod 50 and a fourth transmission rod 60. The front end of the first transmission rod 30 is hinged to the first hinge seat 10 via a first hinge point 70, the front end of the second transmission rod 40 is hinged to the first hinge seat 10 via a second hinge point 80, the rear end of the first transmission rod 30 is hinged to the front end of the third transmission rod 50 via a third hinge point 90, the rear end of the third transmission rod 50 is hinged to the second hinge seat 20 via a fourth hinge point 100, the front end of the fourth transmission rod 60 is hinged to the middle of the second transmission rod 40 via a fifth hinge point 110, the rear end of the fourth transmission rod 60 is hinged to the second hinge seat 20 via a sixth hinge point 120, and the rear end of the second transmission rod 40 is hinged to the middle of the third transmission rod 50 via a seventh hinge point 130. The hinge also includes an electromagnetic damper 140 and a power source. The electromagnetic damper 140 is provided at at least one of the hinge points, and the power source is electrically connected to the electromagnetic damper 140. The current flowing into the electromagnetic damper 140 is adjustable.

[0060] In this embodiment, the damping force is provided by an electromagnetic damper 140. Even with increased use, the electromagnetic damper 140 is less susceptible to significant fatigue, maintaining optimal damping performance and providing a better user experience. Furthermore, the current flowing into the electromagnetic damper 140 is adjustable, thereby adjusting its damping performance. This provides greater flexibility and adapts well to intelligent needs. Intelligent design aligns with the trend of IoT home appliances and enhances product competitiveness.

[0061] It should be noted that, within a certain range, adjusting the current to the maximum and correspondingly adjusting the damping to the maximum can limit the maximum door opening angle, thereby avoiding collision between the door body and the outside.

[0062] As a preferred setting, Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, an electromagnetic damper 140 may be provided on at least one of the first hinge point 70 and the second hinge point 80 , so as to provide more effective damping.

[0063] It should be noted that in other alternative embodiments, in theory, an electromagnetic damper 140 can be set on at least one of the above-mentioned first hinge point 70, second hinge point 80, third hinge point 90, fourth hinge point 100, fifth hinge point 110, sixth hinge point 120 and seventh hinge point 130.

[0064] like Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the hinge further includes an angle sensor 150. An angle sensor 150 is provided on at least one of the hinge points of the hinge for detecting the angle between the two transmission rods on the corresponding hinge point or between one of the transmission rods and the corresponding hinge seat.

[0065] In this embodiment, during the process of opening and closing the door, as the hinge works, the angle between the corresponding structural parts will change accordingly. The size of the angle can reflect the working state of the hinge. The angle can be obtained conveniently and reliably, which is conducive to ensuring that the damping can match the working process of the hinge, and further conducive to optimizing the user experience.

[0066] Similar to the above, in other alternative embodiments, in theory, an angle sensor 150 can be set on at least one of the above-mentioned first hinge point 70, second hinge point 80, third hinge point 90, fourth hinge point 100, fifth hinge point 110, sixth hinge point 120 and seventh hinge point 130.

[0067] As a preferred arrangement, in this embodiment, an electromagnetic damper 140 is provided on one of the first hinge point 70 and the second hinge point 80 , and an angle sensor 150 is provided on the other one.

[0068] Since the first hinge seat 10 is fixed to the box body, and the box body is fixed during the opening and closing process of the door body, the first hinge point 70 and the second hinge point 80 are correspondingly fixed hinge points. The electromagnetic damper 140 and the angle sensor 150 are respectively set at the two hinge points. The requirements for the circuits used to ensure the operation of the electromagnetic damper 140 and the angle sensor 150 are relatively low, and there is no need to reserve a large range of movement, which is conducive to reducing costs and avoiding the normal operation of other structures of the hinge due to excessive wiring. In addition, it is not easy to affect the normal operation of the hinge. In addition, the electromagnetic damper 140 and the angle sensor 150 are set at different hinge points, so that both the electromagnetic damper 140 and the angle sensor 150 have sufficient installation space, and the installation is more reasonable.

[0069] Specifically, if Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the first hinge seat 10 includes a horizontal portion 101 and a vertical portion 102 connected end to end, the first hinge point 70 is located at one end of the vertical portion 102 close to the horizontal portion 101, and the second hinge point 80 is located at one end of the vertical portion 102 away from the horizontal portion 101.

[0070] The number of the electromagnetic damper 140 and the number of the angle sensor 150 are both one, and the electromagnetic damper 140 is arranged on the first hinge point 70 , and the angle sensor 150 is arranged on the second hinge point 80 .

[0071] Setting the number of electromagnetic damper 140 and angle sensor 150 to one can not only achieve the effect of adjusting the damping of the resistance damper 140 as needed, but also simplify the structure, which is beneficial to reducing the overall cost and the complexity of the overall structure of the hinge.

[0072] Specifically, in this embodiment, the magnitude of the current flowing through the electromagnetic damper 140 is configured to be adjustable during the door opening and closing process. This configuration allows for real-time automatic damping adjustment based on actual needs during the door opening and closing process, providing a better user experience and preventing unexpected and undesirable noise.

[0073] It should be noted that, for the sake of convenience, Figure 2 and Figure 3 The figure schematically shows the arrangement positions of the electromagnetic damper 140 and the angle sensor 150, and illustrates their structures.

[0074] Further, if Figure 1 As shown, the hinge further includes a wireless communication module, which is used for wireless connection with an external terminal device, and the wireless communication module is electrically connected to the angle sensor 150 and the power supply.

[0075] Among them, the wireless communication module facilitates intelligent control, facilitates obtaining angle signals according to actual needs, and facilitates control of the current flowing into the electromagnetic damper 140, thereby flexibly adjusting the damping force, which is conducive to further optimizing the user experience.

[0076] The wireless communication module is used to wirelessly connect to external devices via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. This connection method is simple, reliable, and easy to implement. For example, if the external device is a mobile phone, the user can flexibly perform various operations through the mobile phone app, such as increasing damping or setting "child safety mode" or "silent mode."

[0077] It should be noted that how the wireless communication module realizes connection with the external terminal device and how to perform corresponding operations through the APP are technologies well known to those skilled in the art and will not be elaborated here.

[0078] When the wireless communication module is connected to an external terminal device, the door control system is configured to set the current threshold and / or door opening angle threshold for electromagnetic damper 140 by operating the external terminal device. This configuration allows for flexible setting of the door opening angle threshold and the current threshold for electromagnetic damper 140 based on actual usage scenarios, providing greater flexibility.

[0079] As a preferred configuration, the wireless communication module is disposed in the first hinge base 10 .

[0080] Such a setting, on the one hand, can provide better protection for the wireless communication module, which is conducive to ensuring that the wireless communication module can work reliably and is conducive to ensuring the overall reliability of the door control system; on the other hand, the wireless communication module is set up using the space in the first hinge seat 10, which is conducive to improving space utilization.

[0081] The process of opening the door body has a first stage at the initial stage of door opening and a second stage near the full opening of the door body, wherein, in the first stage, the angle of the door body opening is not greater than the first preset angle, and in the second stage, the angle of the door body opening is not less than the second preset angle; wherein, in the first stage, the current passed into the electromagnetic damper 140 is the first current, and in the second stage, the current passed into the electromagnetic damper 140 is the second current, and the first current is greater than the second current.

[0082] With this setting, greater damping is provided at the initial stage of door opening, which can avoid or help avoid the door body from quickly bouncing open due to gravity, which is conducive to optimizing the user experience and avoiding accidental injuries. When the door body is close to being fully open, less damping is provided to ensure that the door body is smoothly in place. During the door closing process, the resistance can be automatically adjusted according to the angle of the door opening to prevent it from hitting the cabinet, which can not only avoid damage to the cabinet but also reduce noise. In addition, by dynamically adjusting the current intensity of the electromagnetic damper 140, it is also conducive to achieving graded resistance adjustment.

[0083] This embodiment also provides a door control system for a refrigerator. The door control system is used to control the opening and closing of the refrigerator door. In addition to the hinge, the door control system also includes a power supply, a judgment module, and a controller. The power supply is electrically connected to the electromagnetic damper 140. The judgment module is used to determine whether an adjustment condition is met and to issue an adjustment signal when the adjustment condition is met. The controller is electrically connected to the power supply and the judgment module and is used to control the amount of current supplied to the electromagnetic damper 140 by the power supply upon receiving the adjustment signal.

[0084] Angle sensor 150 in the hinge is configured to emit an angle signal after detecting an angle. A controller is electrically connected to angle sensor 150, receives the angle signal, and adjusts the current when the angle corresponding to the angle signal reaches a preset angle. The adjustment condition is that the angle corresponding to the angle signal reaches the preset angle.

[0085] Here, by taking the angle between the corresponding structural parts (the angle between the two transmission rods or between one of the transmission rods and the corresponding hinge seat) as the factor for judging the adjustment condition, during the process of opening and closing the door body, as the hinge works, the angle between the corresponding structural parts will change accordingly, and the size of the angle can reflect the working state of the hinge. Therefore, the setting of the adjustment condition is relatively convenient and reliable, which is conducive to ensuring that the damping can match the working process of the hinge, and further conducive to optimizing the user experience.

[0086] like Figure 4 As shown, this embodiment also provides a door control method, which adopts the above-mentioned door control system. The door control method includes the following steps:

[0087] Step S10: determine whether the adjustment conditions are met, and if so, send an adjustment signal to the controller;

[0088] Step S20 : After receiving the adjustment signal, the controller controls the power supply to adjust the magnitude of the current provided to the electromagnetic damper 140 .

[0089] In the present application, the structure that provides the damping force is set as an electromagnetic damper 140. Even if the number of uses increases, the electromagnetic damper 140 is not prone to obvious fatigue, thereby being able to maintain the damping performance in a better state, and providing a better user experience. The magnitude of the current passed into the electromagnetic damper 140 can be adjusted, thereby being able to adjust the damping performance of the electromagnetic damper 140. It has better flexibility in use and can better adapt to the needs of intelligence. Intelligent design is in line with the trend of IoT home appliances and enhances product competitiveness. In addition, reasonable damping setting can also reduce impacts or collisions caused by poor damping performance, which is beneficial to protecting cabinets and door bodies, and thus helps to extend service life.

[0090] Although specific embodiments of the present invention have been described above, those skilled in the art will appreciate that these are merely illustrative and that the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims. Those skilled in the art may make various changes or modifications to these embodiments without departing from the principles and essence of the present invention, and such changes and modifications are intended to fall within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A door control system for controlling the opening and closing of a refrigerator door, the door control system comprising a hinge, the hinge connecting the refrigerator body and the door body, the hinge comprising a first hinge seat, a second hinge seat and a transmission assembly, the first hinge seat being used to be mounted on the refrigerator body, the second hinge seat being used to be mounted on the door body, the transmission assembly being hingedly connected between the first hinge seat and the second hinge seat, and the transmission assembly comprising a first transmission rod, a second transmission rod, a third transmission rod and a fourth transmission rod; characterized in that: The hinge further comprises an electromagnetic damper; the electromagnetic damper is provided on at least one of the hinge points of the hinge; The door control system further includes: a power supply electrically connected to the electromagnetic damper; A judging module, configured to judge whether an adjustment condition is satisfied, and to send an adjustment signal when the adjustment condition is satisfied; A controller is electrically connected to the power supply and the judgment module, and is used to control the magnitude of the current provided by the power supply to the electromagnetic damper when receiving the adjustment signal.

2. The door control system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The hinge further comprises an angle sensor for detecting an angle between two transmission rods at a corresponding hinge point or between one of the transmission rods and a corresponding hinge seat; The angle sensor is used to send an angle signal after detecting the angle; The controller is electrically connected to the angle sensor, and is configured to receive the angle signal and adjust the current when the angle corresponding to the angle signal reaches a preset angle; The adjustment condition is that the corresponding angle in the angle signal reaches a preset angle.

3. The door control system according to claim 2, characterized in that: The hinge further includes a wireless communication module, which is used for wireless connection with an external terminal device, and the wireless communication module is electrically connected to the angle sensor and the power supply.

4. The door control system according to claim 3, characterized in that: The wireless communication module is used to wirelessly connect to the external terminal device via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.

5. The door control system according to claim 3, characterized in that: When the wireless communication module is in a connected state with the external terminal device, the door control system is configured to set a current threshold and / or a door opening angle threshold for the electromagnetic damper by operating the external terminal device.

6. The door control system according to claim 3, characterized in that: The wireless communication module is disposed in the first hinge seat.

7. The door control system according to any one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that: The front end of the first transmission rod is hinged to the first hinge seat through a first hinge point, and the front end of the second transmission rod is hinged to the first hinge seat through a second hinge point; Wherein, the electromagnetic damper is provided on one of the first hinge point and the second hinge point, and the angle sensor is provided on the other one.

8. The door control system according to claim 7, characterized in that: The first hinge seat includes a horizontal portion and a vertical portion connected end to end, the first hinge point is located at an end of the vertical portion close to the horizontal portion, and the second hinge point is located at an end of the vertical portion away from the horizontal portion; The number of the electromagnetic damper and the number of the angle sensor are both one, and the electromagnetic damper is arranged on the first hinge point, and the angle sensor is arranged on the second hinge point.

9. A refrigerator, comprising a box body and a door body, characterized in that: The refrigerator further comprises a door control system as described in any one of claims 1-8.

10. A door control method, characterized in that: It adopts the door control system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, and the door control method comprises the following steps: determining whether an adjustment condition is met, and if so, sending an adjustment signal to the controller; After receiving the adjustment signal, the controller controls the power supply to adjust the magnitude of the current provided to the electromagnetic damper.

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