Refrigerator and vacuumizing noise control method thereof

Abstract

The invention discloses a refrigerator and a vacuumizing noise control method thereof. The refrigerator comprises a refrigerator body, a refrigerating system, a vacuumizing device and a controller, and a plurality of chambers are arranged in the refrigerator body; the refrigerating system comprises a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator and a fan; the vacuumizing device is used for vacuumizing the compartment; the controller is configured to stop playing the masking sound when a door opening signal is detected in the vacuumizing process; after the door closing signal is detected, residual vacuumizing time is determined according to preset vacuumizing time and door opening and closing time; and based on the residual vacuumizing time, controlling the masking sound to be linearly increased to the maximum volume in the first residual vacuumizing time, and keeping the maximum volume of the masking sound in the second residual vacuumizing time. By adjusting the masking sound when the door opening and closing phenomenon occurs in the vacuumizing process, the vacuum preservation stability of the vacuumizing device is guaranteed, meanwhile, the influence of noise generated when the vacuumizing device works on a user is reduced, and the user experience is effectively improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of refrigerator technology, and more particularly to a refrigerator and a method for controlling the vacuuming noise of the refrigerator. Background Technology

[0002] With the continuous improvement of people's living standards, smart homes have become an unavoidable development trend. Refrigerators, as an indispensable tool in modern home life, have become a crucial component of smart homes, and users are increasingly demanding higher levels of intelligence and performance from their refrigerators. To better store food, vacuum chambers have been developed within refrigerators. These chambers are vacuum-sealed, allowing fresh food to have a longer shelf life, thus ensuring freshness and preventing nutrient loss. However, the vacuuming device generates significant vibration and noise during operation, resulting in a poor user experience. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a refrigerator and a method for controlling the noise of vacuuming, which adjusts the masking sound when the door is opened and closed during the vacuuming process, thereby ensuring the stability of vacuum preservation of the vacuuming device while reducing the noise of the vacuuming device during operation and effectively improving the user experience.

[0004] The refrigerator provided in the first embodiment of the present invention includes:

[0005] The cabinet, which serves as the supporting structure of the refrigerator, has several compartments inside;

[0006] A refrigeration system, located inside the enclosure, includes a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator, and a fan;

[0007] The compressor is used to provide power for the refrigeration cycle of the refrigerator, compressing the low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant into a high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant gas.

[0008] The condenser is used to condense and dissipate heat from high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant gas, cooling the high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant gas into a room-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant liquid.

[0009] The evaporator is used to evaporate and absorb heat from a room-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant liquid, vaporizing the room-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant liquid into a low-temperature, low-pressure gas.

[0010] The fan is used to bring air into the refrigerator's evaporator for heat exchange and then send the heated air into the refrigerator compartment.

[0011] A vacuum pumping device, which is installed in the housing, is used to evacuate the compartment;

[0012] The controller is configured to stop playing the masking sound when a door opening signal is detected during the vacuuming process; after a door closing signal is detected, the remaining vacuuming time is determined based on the preset vacuuming time and the door opening and closing time; based on the remaining vacuuming time, the masking sound is controlled to linearly increase to the maximum volume during the first remaining vacuuming time, and the maximum volume of the masking sound is maintained during the second remaining vacuuming time.

[0013] In the refrigerator provided by the second embodiment of the present invention, the step of determining the remaining vacuuming time based on the preset vacuuming time and the door opening and closing time specifically includes:

[0014] The remaining vacuuming time is obtained by subtracting the door opening and closing time and the time during which the vacuuming device has been working from the vacuuming time.

[0015] In the refrigerator provided in the third embodiment of the present invention, the refrigerator further includes a pressure sensor, which is used to detect the pressure value during the vacuuming process in real time. The controller is further configured to:

[0016] After detecting the door closing signal, the remaining vacuuming time is obtained by fitting the pressure value at the moment of door closing and the preset pressure-time curve, and the masking sound corresponding to the remaining vacuuming time is played.

[0017] In the refrigerator provided in the fourth embodiment of the present invention, the refrigerator further includes a speaker for playing the masking sound, and the controller is further configured to:

[0018] The volume of the masking sound is adjusted according to the location of the speaker and the door closing signal.

[0019] In the refrigerator provided by the fifth embodiment of the present invention, adjusting the volume of the masking sound according to the position of the speaker and the door closing signal specifically includes:

[0020] If the speaker is located inside the enclosure, the volume of the masking sound will be increased by a first decibel after the door closing signal is detected;

[0021] If the speaker is located outside the enclosure, the volume of the masking sound will be reduced by a second decibel after the door closing signal is detected.

[0022] In the refrigerator provided in the sixth embodiment of the present invention, the controller is further configured to:

[0023] If the door opening signal and the door closing signal are not detected during the vacuuming process, the increase gradient of the masking sound is calculated based on the vacuuming time and the maximum volume of the masking sound.

[0024] During the vacuuming time, the masking sound is controlled to increase linearly to the maximum volume according to the increasing gradient.

[0025] The refrigerator vacuuming noise control method provided in the seventh embodiment of the present invention is applied to a refrigerator including a cabinet, a refrigeration system, and a vacuuming device; wherein, the cabinet has a plurality of compartments inside; the refrigeration system includes a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator, and a fan; the vacuuming device is disposed in the cabinet and is used to vacuum the compartments; the refrigerator vacuuming noise control method includes:

[0026] When a door opening signal is detected during the vacuuming process, the masking sound will stop playing.

[0027] After detecting the door closing signal, the remaining vacuuming time is determined based on the preset vacuuming time and the door opening and closing time.

[0028] Based on the remaining vacuum time, the masking sound is controlled to increase linearly to the maximum volume during the first remaining vacuum time, and the maximum volume of the masking sound is maintained during the second remaining vacuum time.

[0029] In the refrigerator vacuuming noise control method provided in the eighth embodiment of the present invention, the step of determining the remaining vacuuming time based on the preset vacuuming time and the door opening and closing time specifically includes:

[0030] The remaining vacuuming time is obtained by subtracting the door opening and closing time and the time during which the vacuuming device has been working from the vacuuming time.

[0031] In the refrigerator vacuuming noise control method provided in the ninth embodiment of the present invention, the refrigerator further includes a pressure sensor, which is used to detect the pressure value during the vacuuming process in real time. The method further includes:

[0032] After detecting the door closing signal, the remaining vacuuming time is obtained by fitting the pressure value at the moment of door closing and the preset pressure-time curve, and the masking sound corresponding to the remaining vacuuming time is played.

[0033] In the refrigerator vacuuming noise control method provided in the tenth embodiment of the present invention, the refrigerator further includes a speaker, the speaker being used to play the masking sound, and the method further includes:

[0034] The volume of the masking sound is adjusted according to the location of the speaker and the door closing signal.

[0035] Compared to existing technologies, the beneficial effects of the refrigerator and its vacuuming noise control method provided in this invention are as follows: When the vacuuming device is working, if a door opening signal is detected during the vacuuming process, the masking sound stops playing; after a door closing signal is detected, the remaining vacuuming time is determined based on a preset vacuuming time and the door opening / closing time; based on the remaining vacuuming time, the masking sound is linearly increased to its maximum volume during a first remaining vacuuming time, and the maximum volume of the masking sound is maintained during a second remaining vacuuming time. This invention adjusts the masking sound when a door opening / closing occurs during the vacuuming process, thereby ensuring the stability of the vacuum preservation function of the vacuuming device while reducing the noise impact on the user, effectively improving the user experience. Attached Figure Description

[0036] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a refrigerator provided in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a refrigerator body according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a single refrigeration system for a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a dual refrigeration system for a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0040] Figure 5 This is a first working diagram of a controller in a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0041] Figure 6 This is a second working diagram of a controller in a refrigerator provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0042] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the pressure-time relationship in a refrigerator provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0043] Figure 8 This is a third working flowchart of a controller in a refrigerator provided in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0044] Figure 9 This is a fourth working flowchart of a controller in a refrigerator provided in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0045] Figure 10 This is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling noise during vacuuming in a refrigerator, according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0046] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0047] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application.

[0048] The terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this application, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0049] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0050] Please see Figure 1 , Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention. The refrigerator provided in this embodiment of the present invention includes:

[0051] The cabinet 10 serves as the supporting structure of the refrigerator and has several compartments inside.

[0052] The refrigeration system 20, which is located inside the housing, includes a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator, and a fan;

[0053] The compressor is used to provide power for the refrigeration cycle of the refrigerator, compressing the low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant into a high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant gas.

[0054] The condenser is used to condense and dissipate heat from high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant gas, cooling the high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant gas into a room-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant liquid.

[0055] The evaporator is used to evaporate and absorb heat from a room-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant liquid, vaporizing the room-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant liquid into a low-temperature, low-pressure gas.

[0056] The fan is used to bring air into the refrigerator's evaporator for heat exchange and then send the heated air into the refrigerator compartment.

[0057] A vacuum pumping device 30 is installed in the housing 10 and is used to evacuate the compartment.

[0058] The controller 40 is configured to stop playing the masking sound when a door opening signal is detected during the vacuuming process; after a door closing signal is detected, the remaining vacuuming time is determined according to the preset vacuuming time and the door opening and closing time; based on the remaining vacuuming time, the masking sound is controlled to linearly increase to the maximum volume during the first remaining vacuuming time, and the maximum volume of the masking sound is maintained during the second remaining vacuuming time.

[0059] Specifically, an embodiment of the present invention provides a refrigerator including a cabinet 10, a refrigeration system 20, a vacuuming device 30, and a controller 40. Please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 2 , Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the refrigerator body according to an embodiment of the present invention. The refrigerator in this embodiment has an approximately rectangular parallelepiped shape and includes a body 10 defining a storage space. The body 10 serves as the supporting structure of the refrigerator and has internal chambers. These chambers include component storage chambers for placing refrigerator components, such as the compressor, and storage spaces for storing food. The storage spaces can be divided into multiple storage compartments (i.e., compartments), which, depending on their purpose, can be configured as refrigerator compartments, freezer compartments, or variable temperature compartments (also known as crisper compartments). Each storage compartment has one or more doors 200 at its opening. Figure 2 The upper storage compartment is a refrigerator compartment with a double door. The door 200 includes a door shell 210 on the outside of the cabinet 10, a door inner liner 220 on the inside of the cabinet 10, an upper end cover 230, a lower end cover 240, and an insulation layer between the door shell 210, door inner liner 220, upper end cover 230, and lower end cover 240; typically, the insulation layer is filled with foam material. The door can be pivotally mounted at the opening of the cabinet, or it can be a drawer-style opening for drawer-type storage.

[0060] The refrigerator operates through a refrigeration system, transferring cold air to the compartments to maintain a constant low temperature. Specifically, in this embodiment, the refrigerator's refrigeration system can be a single refrigeration system or a dual refrigeration system. Please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 3 , Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a single refrigeration system for a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention. The single refrigeration system of the refrigerator according to this embodiment includes a compressor 1, a condenser 2, an anti-condensation pipe 3, a dryer filter 4, a capillary tube 5, an evaporator 6, and a gas-liquid separator 7. The working components of the refrigeration system include a compression process, a condensation process, a throttling process, and an evaporation process.

[0061] The compression process is as follows: when the refrigerator power cord is plugged in and the refrigerator needs to cool, compressor 1 starts to work. Low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant is drawn into the compressor and compressed into high-temperature, high-pressure superheated gas in the cylinder of compressor 1 before being discharged into condenser 2.

[0062] The condensation process is as follows: the high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant gas dissipates heat through condenser 2, and the temperature continuously decreases. It is gradually cooled into a saturated vapor at room temperature and high pressure, and further cooled into a saturated liquid. The temperature no longer decreases. This temperature is called the condensation temperature. The pressure of the refrigerant remains almost constant throughout the entire condensation process.

[0063] The throttling process is as follows: After the condensed refrigerant saturated liquid is filtered to remove moisture and impurities by the dryer filter 4, it flows into the capillary tube 5, where it is throttled and depressurized, and the refrigerant becomes a room temperature, low pressure wet vapor.

[0064] The evaporation process is as follows: The refrigerant then absorbs heat and vaporizes in the evaporator 6, which not only lowers the temperature of the evaporator and its surroundings, but also turns the refrigerant into a low-temperature, low-pressure gas. The refrigerant coming out of the evaporator 6 passes through the gas-liquid separator 7 and returns to the compressor 1. The above process is repeated to transfer the heat inside the refrigerator to the air outside the refrigerator, thus achieving the purpose of refrigeration.

[0065] The fan continuously draws air into the fins of the evaporator 6 for heat exchange, while simultaneously sending the cooled air from the evaporator 6 through the air duct to the refrigerator compartment. This continuous air circulation in the compartment achieves the purpose of lowering the temperature.

[0066] Please see Figure 4 , Figure 4This is a schematic diagram of a dual-refrigeration system for a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention. The dual-refrigeration system of the refrigerator according to this embodiment includes a compressor 21 for compressing refrigerant, a first capillary tube 14a and a second capillary tube 14b for depressurizing the refrigerant, a refrigeration evaporator 15a and a freezing evaporator 15b serving as heat absorption mechanisms, a three-way valve 17 for controlling the refrigerant flow path, a one-way valve 18 for preventing refrigerant backflow, a dryer 19 for removing moisture from the freezing cycle, and a refrigerant manifold 13 connecting the refrigerant flow path. These components are connected by piping 20 to circulate the refrigerant and form a freezing cycle. During this process, fans 12a and 12b, respectively installed in each storage compartment, are used to accelerate the airflow, thereby accelerating the heat absorption speed of the refrigeration and freezing evaporators and improving the cooling speed of the storage compartment. The three-way valve 17 has a first outlet 17a and a second outlet 17b. When the three-way valve 17 opens the first outlet 17a, the refrigerant flows sequentially through the first capillary tube 14a, the refrigerated evaporator 15a, the gas-liquid separator 16a, and the refrigerant manifold 13, before returning to the compressor 21. After passing through the first capillary tube 14a, the low-pressure, low-temperature refrigerant flows through the refrigerated evaporator 15a, exchanging heat with the air in the refrigerated evaporator 15a and the refrigerator compartment 110, thus cooling the refrigerator compartment 110. Similarly, when the three-way valve 17 opens the second outlet 17b, the refrigerant flows sequentially through the second capillary tube 14b, the refrigerated evaporator 15b, the gas-liquid separator 16b, and the refrigerant manifold 13, before returning to the compressor 21. After passing through the second capillary tube 14b, the low-pressure, low-temperature refrigerant flows through the refrigerated evaporator 15b, exchanging heat with the air in the refrigerated evaporator 15b and the freezer compartment 120, thus cooling the freezer compartment 120.

[0067] Please see Figure 5 , Figure 5This is a first working flowchart of a refrigerator controller according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, when the vacuuming device is activated, a preset masking sound is played. When a door opening signal is detected during the vacuuming process, the masking sound stops playing. It should be noted that if a drawer is opened during a vacuuming cycle, the door opening and closing time is recorded in the vacuuming time. If the drawer is closed again during vacuuming, the vacuum pump time will be reduced by the time already worked before the door was opened and the door opening and closing time from the originally set vacuuming time. This results in a lower vacuum level in the drawer. Opening the door again repeats the complete vacuuming process. Since this embodiment cannot determine the pressure inside the drawer, to address the low vacuum level, the vacuuming time is set to follow the complete vacuuming time regardless of whether the door is opened or closed. However, this also leads to a problem where the vacuuming time follows the complete cycle, resulting in a longer vacuuming time under high load. Therefore, the high noise problem may become more prominent under high load, and the masking sound cannot follow the preset pattern, requiring an extension of the duration of the maximum masking sound pressure level. During the remaining vacuum time, the masking sound is linearly increased to its maximum volume during the first remaining vacuum time, and maintained at the maximum volume during the second remaining vacuum time. For example, during the last 6 minutes, the masking sound linearly changes to its maximum volume within 1 minute and is maintained for 5 minutes.

[0068] This invention adjusts the masking sound when the door opens and closes during the vacuuming process, thereby ensuring the stability of the vacuum preservation of the vacuum device while reducing the noise impact on the user, effectively improving the user experience.

[0069] As one optional embodiment, determining the remaining vacuuming time based on the preset vacuuming time and door opening / closing time specifically includes:

[0070] The remaining vacuuming time is obtained by subtracting the door opening and closing time and the time during which the vacuuming device has been working from the vacuuming time.

[0071] Specifically, in this embodiment of the invention, if the drawer is opened during a vacuuming cycle, the opening and closing time will be recorded in the vacuuming time. If the drawer is closed again for vacuuming, the vacuum pump time will be reduced by the time already worked before the last opening and the opening and closing time from the originally set vacuuming time.

[0072] As one optional embodiment, the refrigerator further includes a pressure sensor for real-time detection of pressure values ​​during the vacuuming process; in this case, the controller is further configured to:

[0073] After detecting the door closing signal, the remaining vacuuming time is obtained by fitting the pressure value at the moment of door closing and the preset pressure-time curve, and the masking sound corresponding to the remaining vacuuming time is played.

[0074] For details, please refer to Figure 6 and Figure 7 , Figure 6 This is a second operational flowchart of a controller in a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the pressure-time relationship in a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention. The embodiment of the present invention adds a pressure sensor to detect the pressure value during the vacuuming process in real time. After detecting the door closing signal, the remaining vacuuming time is obtained by fitting the pressure value at the moment of door closing and a preset pressure-time relationship curve, and the masking sound corresponding to the remaining vacuuming time is played.

[0075] For example, the overall vacuuming time is set to 10 seconds, which can pump from 1000 hPa to 900 hPa. When the door is closed, the pressure is 950 hPa. Taking the corresponding curve, after fitting, it only takes 5 seconds to complete the vacuuming. So the remaining vacuuming time is 5 seconds. At this time, the corresponding masking sound is played from the 5th second (equivalent to the masking sound being played synchronously after the last 5 seconds).

[0076] As one optional embodiment, the refrigerator further includes a speaker for playing the masking sound, and the controller is further configured to:

[0077] The volume of the masking sound is adjusted according to the location of the speaker and the door closing signal.

[0078] For details, please refer to Figure 8 , Figure 8 This is a third workflow diagram of a controller in a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the refrigerator also includes a speaker for playing a masking sound. The speaker position and door closing determination in this embodiment are based on a user interaction experience optimization design based on psychoacoustic theory, adjusting the volume of the masking sound according to the speaker position and the door closing signal.

[0079] As one optional embodiment, adjusting the volume of the masking sound based on the speaker's position and the door closing signal specifically includes:

[0080] If the speaker is located inside the enclosure, the volume of the masking sound will be increased by a first decibel after the door closing signal is detected;

[0081] If the speaker is located outside the enclosure, the volume of the masking sound will be reduced by a second decibel after the door closing signal is detected.

[0082] For details, please refer to Figure 9 , Figure 9This is a fourth operational flowchart of a refrigerator controller according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, if the speaker is located inside the refrigerator body, upon detecting a door closing signal, the masking sound volume is increased by one decibel. This is to mitigate the impact of door closing on sound insulation, allowing the user to perceive that the vacuuming module is still operating, and to alert the user when it stops, indicating that vacuuming has ended. Due to a perception time difference, when the speaker is inside, the sound initially decreases when the user closes the door, gradually increasing as the door closing action completes. From the user's perspective, this is perceived as a change in sound due to increased vacuuming load. If the speaker is located outside the refrigerator body, upon detecting a door closing signal, the masking sound volume is decreased by two decibels. This change in sound clearly indicates to the user that the door is closed tightly and alerts them that vacuuming has ended. If the speaker is outside, without the sound decreasing, the user might perceive that the door is not closed, yet the machine noise remains the same.

[0083] It should be noted that when the refrigerator door is opened, it means that the user is close to the refrigerator speaker. The speaker is not blocked inside or outside, so the volume is not affected and there is no need to change the sound. Therefore, play at the normal volume and play the original masked sound with a linear change in sound.

[0084] As one optional embodiment, the controller is further configured to:

[0085] If the door opening signal and the door closing signal are not detected during the vacuuming process, the increase gradient of the masking sound is calculated based on the vacuuming time and the maximum volume of the masking sound.

[0086] During the vacuuming time, the masking sound is controlled to increase linearly to the maximum volume according to the increasing gradient.

[0087] Specifically, if no door opening or closing signal is detected during the vacuuming process, the masking sound's increase gradient is calculated based on the vacuuming time and the maximum volume of the masking sound. During the vacuuming time, the masking sound is controlled to increase linearly according to the increasing gradient until the maximum volume. For example, the masking sound used in this embodiment of the invention is a gradually increasing masking sound, with the volume gradually increasing by 5dB from beginning to end. The purpose of using a gradually increasing masking sound is that as the vacuum level increases, the vacuum pump's load increases, and the sound increases. To address this, a step-by-step increase in volume is employed.

[0088]

[0089] For example, if x is calculated to be 0.05, then the masking sound increases by 0.5 dB per second.

[0090]

[0091] Based on the vacuuming time of the first 10 times, a 5dB increase gradient is calculated, the gradient is updated in real time, and the volume is increased linearly according to the average vacuuming time.

[0092] Please see Figure 10 , Figure 10 This is a schematic flowchart of a refrigerator vacuuming noise control method according to an embodiment of the present invention. The refrigerator vacuuming noise control method provided in this embodiment is applied to a refrigerator including a cabinet, a refrigeration system, and a vacuuming device. The cabinet contains several compartments. The refrigeration system is located within the cabinet and includes a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator, and a fan. The compressor provides power for the refrigerator's refrigeration cycle, compressing low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant into high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant gas. The condenser condenses and dissipates heat from the high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant gas, cooling it into a room-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant liquid. The evaporator evaporates and absorbs heat from the room-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant liquid, vaporizing it into a low-temperature, low-pressure gas. The fan allows air to enter the refrigerator's evaporator for heat exchange and delivers the heated air to the refrigerator compartments. The vacuuming device is located within the cabinet and is used to vacuum the compartments. The refrigerator vacuuming noise control method includes:

[0093] S1, when a door opening signal is detected during the vacuuming process, the masking sound will stop playing;

[0094] S2, after detecting the door closing signal, determine the remaining vacuuming time based on the preset vacuuming time and door opening / closing time;

[0095] S3, based on the remaining vacuum time, control the masking sound to linearly increase to the maximum volume during the first remaining vacuum time, and maintain the maximum volume of the masking sound during the second remaining vacuum time.

[0096] In this embodiment of the invention, when the vacuuming device is started, a preset masking sound is played. If a door opening signal is detected during the vacuuming process, the masking sound stops playing. It should be noted that if a drawer is opened during a vacuuming cycle, the opening and closing time is recorded in the vacuuming time. If the drawer is closed again during vacuuming, the vacuum pump time will be reduced by the time already worked before the previous door opening and the door opening / closing time from the originally set vacuuming time. This can result in a lower vacuum level in the drawer. Opening the door again will repeat the complete vacuuming process. Since this embodiment of the invention cannot determine the pressure inside the drawer, to address the issue of a lower vacuum level, the vacuuming time is set to follow the complete vacuuming time regardless of whether the door is opened or closed. However, this also leads to a problem where the vacuuming time follows a complete cycle, resulting in a longer vacuuming time under high load. Therefore, the high noise problem may become more prominent under high load, and the masking sound cannot follow the preset pattern, requiring an extended duration of the maximum masking sound pressure level. During the remaining vacuuming time, the masking sound is controlled to linearly increase to its maximum volume during the first remaining vacuuming time, and the maximum volume of the masking sound is maintained during the second remaining vacuuming time. For example, in the last 6 minutes, the masking sound linearly changes to the maximum masking sound volume within 1 minute and is maintained for 5 minutes.

[0097] This invention adjusts the masking sound when the door opens and closes during the vacuuming process, thereby ensuring the stability of the vacuum preservation of the vacuum device while reducing the noise impact on the user, effectively improving the user experience.

[0098] As one optional embodiment, determining the remaining vacuuming time based on the preset vacuuming time and door opening / closing time specifically includes:

[0099] The remaining vacuuming time is obtained by subtracting the door opening and closing time and the time during which the vacuuming device has been working from the vacuuming time.

[0100] Specifically, in this embodiment of the invention, if the drawer is opened during a vacuuming cycle, the opening and closing time will be recorded in the vacuuming time. If the drawer is closed again for vacuuming, the vacuum pump time will be reduced by the time already worked before the last opening and the opening and closing time from the originally set vacuuming time.

[0101] As one optional embodiment, the refrigerator further includes a pressure sensor for real-time detection of pressure values ​​during the vacuuming process; in this case, the method further includes:

[0102] After detecting the door closing signal, the remaining vacuuming time is obtained by fitting the pressure value at the moment of door closing and the preset pressure-time curve, and the masking sound corresponding to the remaining vacuuming time is played.

[0103] Specifically, this embodiment of the invention adds a pressure sensor to detect the pressure value during the vacuuming process in real time. After detecting the door closing signal, the remaining vacuuming time is obtained by fitting the pressure value at the moment of door closing and a preset pressure-time relationship curve, and the masking sound corresponding to the remaining vacuuming time is played.

[0104] For example, the overall vacuuming time is set to 10 seconds, which can pump from 1000 hPa to 900 hPa. When the door is closed, the pressure is 950 hPa. Taking the corresponding curve, after fitting, it only takes 5 seconds to complete the vacuuming. So the remaining vacuuming time is 5 seconds. At this time, the corresponding masking sound is played from the 5th second (equivalent to the masking sound being played synchronously after the last 5 seconds).

[0105] As one optional embodiment, the refrigerator further includes a speaker for playing the masking sound, then the method further includes:

[0106] The volume of the masking sound is adjusted according to the location of the speaker and the door closing signal.

[0107] Specifically, in this embodiment of the invention, the refrigerator also includes a speaker for playing a masking sound. In this embodiment, the speaker position and door closing determination are based on a user interaction experience optimization design using psychoacoustic theory, adjusting the volume of the masking sound according to the speaker position and the door closing signal.

[0108] As one optional embodiment, adjusting the volume of the masking sound based on the speaker's position and the door closing signal specifically includes:

[0109] If the speaker is located inside the enclosure, the volume of the masking sound will be increased by a first decibel after the door closing signal is detected;

[0110] If the speaker is located outside the enclosure, the volume of the masking sound will be reduced by a second decibel after the door closing signal is detected.

[0111] Specifically, in this embodiment of the invention, if the speaker is located inside the enclosure, the masking sound volume is increased by one decibel after a door-closing signal is detected. This is to mitigate the impact of door-closing sound insulation, allowing the user to perceive that the vacuuming module is still operating, and to alert the user when it stops, indicating that vacuuming is complete. Due to the perception time difference, when the speaker is inside, the sound initially decreases when the user closes the door, gradually increasing as the door-closing action completes. From the user's perspective, this is perceived as a change in sound due to increased vacuuming load. If the speaker is located outside the enclosure, the masking sound volume is decreased by two decibels after a door-closing signal is detected. This change in sound clearly indicates to the user that the product door is closed tightly and alerts them that vacuuming is complete. If the speaker is outside, without the sound decreasing, the user might perceive that the door is not closed, yet the machine noise remains the same.

[0112] It should be noted that when the refrigerator door is opened, it means that the user is close to the refrigerator speaker. The speaker is not blocked inside or outside, so the volume is not affected and there is no need to change the sound. Therefore, play at the normal volume and play the original masked sound with a linear change in sound.

[0113] As one optional embodiment, the method further includes:

[0114] If the door opening signal and the door closing signal are not detected during the vacuuming process, the increase gradient of the masking sound is calculated based on the vacuuming time and the maximum volume of the masking sound.

[0115] During the vacuuming time, the masking sound is controlled to increase linearly to the maximum volume according to the increasing gradient.

[0116] Specifically, if no door opening or closing signal is detected during the vacuuming process, the masking sound's increase gradient is calculated based on the vacuuming time and the maximum volume of the masking sound. During the vacuuming time, the masking sound is controlled to increase linearly according to the increasing gradient until the maximum volume. For example, the masking sound used in this embodiment of the invention is a gradually increasing masking sound, with the volume gradually increasing by 5dB from beginning to end. The purpose of using a gradually increasing masking sound is that as the vacuum level increases, the vacuum pump's load increases, and the sound increases. To address this, a step-by-step increase in volume is employed.

[0117]

[0118] For example, if x is calculated to be 0.05, then the masking sound increases by 0.5 dB per second.

[0119]

[0120] Based on the vacuuming time of the first 10 times, a 5dB increase gradient is calculated, the gradient is updated in real time, and the volume is increased linearly according to the average vacuuming time.

[0121] This invention provides a refrigerator and a method for controlling vacuuming noise. When the vacuuming device is operating, if a door opening signal is detected during vacuuming, the masking sound stops playing. After a door closing signal is detected, the remaining vacuuming time is determined based on a preset vacuuming time and the door opening / closing time. Based on the remaining vacuuming time, the masking sound is linearly increased to its maximum volume during a first remaining vacuuming time, and maintained at its maximum volume during a second remaining vacuuming time. This invention adjusts the masking sound when the door opens / closes during vacuuming, thereby ensuring the stability of the vacuum preservation process while reducing the noise impact on the user, effectively improving the user experience.

[0122] It should be noted that the system embodiments described above are merely illustrative. The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate, and the components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the modules can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs. Furthermore, in the accompanying drawings of the system embodiments provided by this invention, the connection relationships between modules indicate that they have communication connections, which can be specifically implemented as one or more communication buses or signal lines. Those skilled in the art can understand and implement this without any creative effort.

[0123] The above description represents the preferred embodiments of the present invention. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various improvements and modifications without departing from the principles of the present invention, and these improvements and modifications are also considered to be within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A refrigerator characterized by comprising: The refrigerator comprises: a cabinet serving as a support structure of the refrigerator, which is internally provided with a plurality of compartments; a refrigeration system provided in the cabinet, comprising a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator and a fan; the compressor is used to provide power for the refrigeration cycle of the refrigerator, and compresses the low-temperature and low-pressure refrigerant into high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant gas; the condenser is used to condense and dissipate heat of the high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant gas, and cool the high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant gas into normal-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant liquid; the evaporator is used to evaporate and absorb heat of the normal-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant liquid, and vaporize the normal-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant liquid into low-temperature and low-pressure gas; the fan is used to make air enter the evaporator of the refrigerator for heat exchange, and send the heat-released air into the compartments of the refrigerator; a vacuumizing device provided in the cabinet and used to vacuumize the compartments; a controller configured to stop playing the masking sound when detecting an opening door signal during the vacuumizing process, determine a remaining vacuumizing time according to a preset vacuumizing time and an opening and closing door time after detecting a closing door signal, and control the masking sound to linearly increase to a maximum volume within a first remaining vacuumizing time and maintain the maximum volume of the masking sound within a second remaining vacuumizing time based on the remaining vacuumizing time.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein The determination of the remaining vacuumizing time according to the preset vacuumizing time and the opening and closing door time specifically comprises: subtracting the opening and closing door time and the working time of the vacuumizing device from the vacuumizing time to obtain the remaining vacuumizing time.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein The refrigerator further comprises a pressure sensor used to detect a pressure value in real time during the vacuumizing process, and the controller is further configured to: fit the remaining vacuumizing time according to the pressure value at the closing time and a preset pressure time curve after detecting the closing door signal, and play the masking sound corresponding to the remaining vacuumizing time.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein The refrigerator further comprises a loudspeaker used to play the masking sound, and the controller is further configured to: adjust the volume of the masking sound according to the position of the loudspeaker and the closing door signal.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 4, wherein The adjustment of the volume of the masking sound according to the position of the loudspeaker and the closing door signal specifically comprises: if the loudspeaker is provided inside the cabinet, increasing the volume of the masking sound by a first decibel after detecting the closing door signal; if the loudspeaker is provided outside the cabinet, decreasing the volume of the masking sound by a second decibel after detecting the closing door signal.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein The controller is further configured to: if neither the opening door signal nor the closing door signal is detected during the vacuumizing process, calculate an increasing gradient of the masking sound according to the vacuumizing time and the maximum volume of the masking sound, and control the masking sound to linearly increase to the maximum volume according to the increasing gradient within the vacuumizing time. ​ 7. A method of controlling the noise of a refrigerator vacuuming, characterized by, The method is applied to a refrigerator comprising a cabinet, a refrigeration system and a vacuumizing device; wherein the cabinet is internally provided with a plurality of compartments; the refrigeration system comprises a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator and a fan; the vacuumizing device is arranged in the cabinet and is used for vacuumizing the compartments; the refrigerator vacuumizing noise control method comprises: When a door opening signal is detected during the vacuumizing process, stop playing the masking sound; After detecting a door closing signal, determine a remaining vacuumizing time according to a preset vacuumizing time and a door opening and closing time; Based on the remaining vacuumizing time, control the masking sound to linearly increase to a maximum volume within a first remaining vacuumizing time and maintain the maximum volume of the masking sound within a second remaining vacuumizing time.

8. The refrigerator vacuuming noise control method of claim 7, wherein, The determination of the remaining vacuumizing time according to the preset vacuumizing time and the door opening and closing time specifically comprises: Subtract the door opening and closing time and the working time of the vacuumizing device from the vacuumizing time to obtain the remaining vacuumizing time.

9. The refrigerator vacuuming noise control method of claim 7, wherein, The refrigerator further comprises a pressure sensor for real-time detection of a pressure value during the vacuumizing process; the method further comprises: After detecting the door closing signal, fit the remaining vacuumizing time according to the pressure value at the door closing moment and a preset pressure time curve, and play the masking sound corresponding to the remaining vacuumizing time.

10. The refrigerator vacuuming noise control method of claim 7, wherein, The refrigerator further comprises a loudspeaker for playing the masking sound; the method further comprises: Adjust the volume of the masking sound according to the position of the loudspeaker and the door closing signal.

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