Refrigerator control method and refrigerator

Abstract

The invention provides a refrigerator control method and a refrigerator. The refrigerator comprises a cooling fan which is used for forming a cooling air path flowing through a condenser of the refrigerator in an open state; the refrigerator further comprises a purification device arranged on the air outlet side of the cooling fan. The control method comprises the following steps: controlling the purification device to start in response to a start instruction of a purification mode; and controlling the heat dissipation fan to maintain an open state under the condition that the purification device is in a starting state, and controlling the heat dissipation fan to alternately operate at a plurality of target rotating speeds. And after the purification mode is started, a purification device additionally arranged in the refrigerator is controlled to be started, and a cooling fan is controlled to be kept in an open state and matched with the purification device to achieve air purification of the space where the refrigerator is located. And in the process that the heat dissipation fan is in the opening state, the heat dissipation fan is controlled to alternately operate at multiple different target rotating speeds, so that the heat dissipation fan supplies air to different distances, the uniformity degree of purification of the whole space is improved, and the purification effect of the refrigerator is optimized.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] Currently, refrigerators have become an indispensable appliance in daily life, primarily serving the function of food preservation and storage, but generally not performing other functions. Related technologies offer a refrigerator capable of purifying the air in its surrounding space, comprising a cabinet and an air purification device detachably mounted on the cabinet. This air purification device has a housing independent of the cabinet, a fan, a filter, and a controller for controlling the fan and filter. The filter and fan are activated under control to purify the air in the refrigerator's space, thus enabling the refrigerator to function as both a storage and air purification appliance. However, these technologies only involve on / off control of the purification function, without providing further detailed control over the purification process, resulting in a purification effect limited to a small area and poor overall space purification. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This application provides a refrigerator control method and a refrigerator, which improves the uniformity of the purification effect on the overall space where the refrigerator is located and optimizes the purification effect while taking into account both the refrigeration function and the air purification function of the refrigerator.

[0004] This application provides a control method for a refrigerator. The refrigerator includes a cooling fan for forming a cooling air path through the condenser of the refrigerator when it is in the open state. The refrigerator also includes a purification device disposed on the air outlet side of the cooling fan. The control method includes: controlling the purification device to start in response to a start command of the purification mode; controlling the cooling fan to remain in the open state when the purification device is in the start state; and controlling the cooling fan to run alternately at multiple target speeds.

[0005] In some embodiments, controlling the cooling fan to operate alternately at multiple target speeds includes: controlling the cooling fan to cyclically alternate between a first speed and a second speed.

[0006] In some embodiments, controlling the cooling fan to alternately operate at a first speed and a second speed includes: controlling the cooling fan to start operating at a first speed while controlling the purification device to start; wherein the first speed is less than the second speed.

[0007] In some embodiments, after the purification device is started, the control method further includes: controlling the purification device to remain in the started state while the cooling fan is running at a first speed; and controlling the purification device to pause operation during at least a portion of the cooling fan's operation at a second speed.

[0008] In some embodiments, the control method further includes: obtaining a first length of the space where the refrigerator is located in the direction of the air outlet of the cooling fan; and determining at least one target rotational speed based on the first length.

[0009] In some embodiments, determining at least one target rotation speed based on a first length includes: dividing the first length into intervals according to a set interval length to obtain multiple air supply intervals from near to far from the refrigerator; setting a target rotation speed corresponding to each air supply interval based on the distance between each air supply interval and the refrigerator; wherein the target rotation speed corresponding to the air supply interval farther from the refrigerator is greater than or equal to the target rotation speed corresponding to the air supply interval closer to the refrigerator, and the target rotation speed corresponding to the air supply interval farthest from the refrigerator is greater than the target rotation speed corresponding to the air supply interval closest to the refrigerator.

[0010] In some embodiments, the control method further includes: obtaining a second length of the space where the refrigerator is located perpendicular to the air outlet direction of the cooling fan; and determining the operating time of at least one target rotation speed based on the second length.

[0011] In some embodiments, the control method further includes: obtaining the concentration of polluting gas in the space where the refrigerator is located; and determining the operating time of at least one target rotation speed based on the concentration of the polluting gas.

[0012] In some embodiments, controlling the purification device to start in response to a purification mode start command includes: obtaining the operating status of the refrigerator in response to the purification mode start command; controlling the purification device to start when the refrigerator is in cooling mode; and controlling the purification device to start based on the concentration of pollutant gas in the space where the refrigerator is located and / or the historical operating information of the purification device when the refrigerator is in non-cooling mode.

[0013] This application provides a refrigerator, including a cooling fan for forming a cooling air path through the refrigerator's condenser when in the open state; the refrigerator also includes: a purification device disposed on the air outlet side of the cooling fan; and one or more processors for implementing the aforementioned refrigerator control method.

[0014] The refrigerator control method and refrigerator provided in this application, after activating the purification mode, control the activation of the purification device added to the refrigerator and control the cooling fan to remain on, working in conjunction with the purification device to purify the air in the space where the refrigerator is located. While the cooling fan is on, controlling the cooling fan to alternately run at multiple different target speeds allows the cooling fan to deliver air to different distances, which helps improve the uniformity of overall space purification and optimizes the refrigerator's purification effect. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Figure 1This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of a refrigerator provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0016] Figure 2 This is a rear view of a refrigerator provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0017] Figure 3 This is a top view of a portion of the bottom structure of a refrigerator provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0018] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the heat dissipation airflow of a refrigerator provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0019] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a refrigerator control method provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0020] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of a refrigerator control method provided in another embodiment of this application;

[0021] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of a refrigerator control method provided in another embodiment of this application.

[0022] Figure label:

[0023] 10: Refrigerator; 100: Purification device; 101: Compressor; 102: Condenser; 103: Cooling fan. Detailed Implementation

[0024] Exemplary embodiments will now be described in detail, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

[0025] Combination Figures 1 to 3 As shown, this application embodiment provides a refrigerator 10, including a refrigerant circulation system and a cooling fan 103. The refrigerant circulation system includes a refrigerant circulation loop consisting of a compressor 101, a condenser 102, a throttling device, and an evaporator. The cooling fan 103, when open, forms a cooling airflow path through the condenser 102 of the refrigerator 10, thus dissipating heat from the condenser 102. In some embodiments, the refrigerator 10 is a built-in refrigerator, and the cooling fan 103 is disposed at the bottom of the refrigerator 10, forming a cooling airflow path through the condenser 102. Figure 4 The heat dissipation airflow shown achieves bottom heat dissipation.

[0026] The refrigerator 10 operates in two phases: a cooling phase and a non-cooling phase. During the cooling phase, the compressor 101 of the refrigerator 10 is running, allowing refrigerant to circulate in the refrigerant loop and exchange heat to achieve cooling. The non-cooling phase is the period between two cooling phases when the compressor 101 stops running. The cooling fan 103 is switched on and off according to the changes in the refrigerator 10's operating phase, serving a cooling function when the refrigerator 10 is in the cooling phase.

[0027] The refrigerator 10 also includes a purification device 100, which is located on the air outlet side of the cooling fan 103. Here, "air outlet side" refers to the airflow path of the cooling fan 103, and is not limited to a fixed location. Thus, when both the purification device 100 and the cooling fan 103 are turned on, the air outlet from the cooling fan 103 can be purified, thereby purifying the air in the space where the refrigerator 10 is located.

[0028] In some embodiments, the purification device 100 is a filter device for filtering the gas flowing through it. In some embodiments, the purification device 100 is used to release oxidizing active particles in the start-up state, and the purification device 100 is blown into the environment where the refrigerator 10 is located by the air path, thereby achieving a purification effect.

[0029] The refrigerator 10 provided in this application embodiment also includes a processor, which is electrically connected to the compressor 101, the cooling fan 103 and the purification device 100 described above, and is used to execute the refrigerator control method described below.

[0030] Corresponding to the aforementioned refrigerator, combined with Figure 5 As shown, this application embodiment provides a refrigerator control method, applied to the aforementioned refrigerator, the control method including steps S11 to S12.

[0031] Step S11: In response to the start command of the purification mode, control the purification device to start.

[0032] The activation command for the purification mode can be directly input by the user through an input device, or it can be automatically generated when the generation conditions are met by setting generation conditions.

[0033] Step S12: Control the cooling fan to remain on while the purification device is in the start state, and control the cooling fan to run alternately at multiple target speeds.

[0034] In normal refrigerator operation without entering purification mode, the cooling fan starts and stops according to the refrigerator's operating status. When the refrigerator is in cooling mode, the cooling fan is on; when the refrigerator is in non-cooling mode, the cooling fan is off. Here, in purification mode, the refrigerator is controlled to remain open while the purification device is activated. If the refrigerator is currently in cooling mode, the cooling fan remains on; if the refrigerator is currently in non-cooling mode, the cooling fan is on and remains on.

[0035] Using the refrigerator control method provided in this application embodiment, after the purification mode is activated, the purification device added to the refrigerator is started, and the cooling fan is kept on, working in conjunction with the purification device to purify the air in the space where the refrigerator is located. While the cooling fan is on, the cooling fan is controlled to alternately run at multiple different target speeds, thereby allowing the cooling fan to deliver air to different distances, which helps to improve the uniformity of the overall space purification and optimize the purification effect of the refrigerator.

[0036] In addition, this application utilizes the refrigerator's existing cooling fan for heat dissipation in the purification process, without adding a separate fan, which helps save on structural modification costs and energy consumption during the purification process.

[0037] In some embodiments, controlling the cooling fan to operate alternately at multiple target speeds includes: controlling the cooling fan to operate sequentially at multiple target speeds. That is, setting multiple target speeds and the execution order of each target speed, and controlling the cooling fan sequentially according to the execution order of the multiple target speeds until the purification mode ends and the purification device shuts down.

[0038] In some embodiments, controlling the cooling fan to operate alternately at multiple target speeds includes: controlling the cooling fan to cyclically alternate between a first speed and a second speed. That is, after controlling the cooling fan to operate at the first speed for a first duration, controlling the cooling fan to operate at the second speed for a second duration, and then controlling the cooling fan to operate at the first speed for a first duration, and so on, until the purification mode ends.

[0039] Here, we provide an implementation method in which the cooling fan alternates between a first speed and a second speed. Combined with... Figure 6 As shown, the control method of the refrigerator includes steps S21 to S25.

[0040] Step S21: In response to the start command of the purification mode, control the purification device to start.

[0041] Step S22: Control the cooling fan to run at the first speed.

[0042] Step S23: Determine whether the duration of operation of the cooling fan at the first speed has reached the first duration.

[0043] If yes, proceed to step S24; otherwise, continue with step S22.

[0044] Step S24: Control the cooling fan to run at the second speed.

[0045] Step S25: Determine whether the duration of operation of the cooling fan at the second speed has reached the second duration.

[0046] If yes, proceed to step S22; otherwise, continue to step S24.

[0047] In this way, the cooling fan speed can be alternated in a cycle, thereby improving the uniformity of purification and optimizing the purification effect.

[0048] Furthermore, in some embodiments, controlling the cooling fan to alternately operate at a first speed and a second speed includes: simultaneously controlling the cooling fan to start operating at a first speed, where the first speed is lower than the second speed, while controlling the purification device to start; after the purification device starts and enters the purification mode, the cooling fan is first controlled to operate at a lower first speed, and then the speed is increased to control the cooling fan to operate at the second speed, blowing the air to be purified to a greater distance. This setting helps to avoid the situation where high-speed blowing occurs immediately after the purification mode is activated, causing a rapid increase in noise and rapid disturbance of airflow in a short period of time. It can provide a gradual purification operation at the initial stage of the purification device's start-up, which is beneficial to improving the user experience during the operation of the purification device.

[0049] In some embodiments, after the purification device is started, the method further includes: controlling the purification device to remain running while the cooling fan is operating at a first speed; and controlling the purification device to pause operation for at least a portion of the time while the cooling fan is operating at a second speed. In some embodiments, controlling the purification device to pause operation for at least a portion of the time while the cooling fan is operating at the second speed includes: controlling the purification device to pause operation during the time the cooling fan is operating at the second speed. During the period when the purification device is not running, the purified air continues to flow in the space due to the continuous operation of the cooling fan, thereby improving the uniformity of purification. This configuration helps to save on the operating rate of the purification device, thereby reducing energy consumption. Especially when the purification device is used to release oxidizing active particles, it helps to avoid the accumulation of oxidizing active particles in the air and the resulting safety hazards.

[0050] Here, we will explain how to determine the target speed of the cooling fan.

[0051] In some embodiments, the control method further includes: obtaining a first length of the space where the refrigerator is located in the direction of the cooling fan's air outlet; and determining at least one target rotational speed based on the first length. The required air outlet distance of the cooling fan varies depending on the length of the space where the air conditioner is located in the direction of the cooling fan's air outlet, and the rotational speed of the cooling fan directly affects the air outlet distance. Determining the target rotational speed by using the first length of the space where the refrigerator is located in the direction of the cooling fan's air outlet helps to adapt the cooling fan's air outlet to the actual air outlet distance requirement, improving the accuracy of purification control and thus optimizing the purification effect. The first length of the space where the refrigerator is located in the direction of the cooling fan's air outlet can be obtained directly through user input, thus obtaining a relatively accurate first length without the need for calculation and analysis, saving on computational processes. In some embodiments, the first length of the space where the refrigerator is located in the direction of the cooling fan's air outlet can be determined by a distance sensor. That is, a distance sensor is installed in the refrigerator to detect the length of the space where the refrigerator is located in the direction of the cooling fan's air outlet, which is then used as the first length. In practice, the distance between the refrigerator and the wall in the direction of the cooling fan's airflow can be detected by a distance sensor and used directly as the first length, or adjusted according to the refrigerator's position. This allows for a relatively accurate determination of the first length of the space containing the refrigerator in the direction of the cooling fan's airflow without user input.

[0052] The aforementioned determination of at least one target speed based on the first length includes two cases: determining a portion of the target speeds based on the first length and determining all the target speeds based on the first length. The implementation process for determining a portion of the target speeds based on the first length is, for example, as follows: first, an initial speed is set among the target speeds, and then other target speeds besides the initial speed are set based on the first length. Here, the initial speed is the speed executed first among the multiple target speeds. More specifically, in some embodiments, the initial speed can be set to the speed of the cooling fan when the refrigerator is in cooling mode. In this way, if the refrigerator enters purification mode while in cooling mode, no speed adjustment is required. This helps save energy consumption required for calculation and adjustment, and makes the purification mode more seamless, thus improving the user experience. In some embodiments, after setting the initial speed, other target speeds can be obtained by adding or subtracting an adjustment value from the initial speed. Here, the adjustment value is determined based on the first length; the larger the first length, the larger the adjustment value.

[0053] In some embodiments, determining at least one target rotational speed based on a first length includes: dividing the first length into intervals according to a set interval length to obtain multiple air supply intervals from near to far from the refrigerator; and setting a target rotational speed corresponding one-to-one with each air supply interval based on the distance between each air supply interval and the refrigerator. Specifically, the target rotational speed corresponding to the air supply interval farther from the refrigerator is greater than or equal to the target rotational speed corresponding to the air supply interval closer to the refrigerator, and the target rotational speed corresponding to the air supply interval furthest from the refrigerator is greater than the target rotational speed corresponding to the air supply interval closest to the refrigerator. The correspondence between the distance between the air supply interval and the refrigerator and the target rotational speed is preset, and the currently required target rotational speed can be determined based on the currently defined distance between the air supply interval and the refrigerator and this correspondence. This method helps save computational resources. When calculating the distance between the air supply interval and the refrigerator, the shortest distance and the maximum distance between them can be used as the distance between the air supply interval and the refrigerator. Alternatively, a calibration point, such as a center point, can be set for the refrigerator and / or the air supply interval, and the distance between the calibration points can be used as the distance between the air supply interval and the refrigerator. The calculation method for the distance between the air supply zone and the refrigerator corresponds to the method for determining the distance in the correspondence between distance and target, and is not limited to one implementation method. Here, an example illustrates the process of determining the target rotational speed. In one embodiment, the first length is 3 meters, and the interval length is 1 meter. The distance from the refrigerator is divided into a first air supply zone, a second air supply zone, and a third air supply zone from near to far. The first rotational speed, the second rotational speed, and the third rotational speed are determined based on the distances between the first air supply zone, the second air supply zone, and the third air supply zone and the refrigerator, respectively. The first rotational speed is less than the third rotational speed, and the second rotational speed is greater than or equal to the first rotational speed and less than or equal to the third rotational speed. Further, in some embodiments, the first rotational speed is less than the second rotational speed, and the second rotational speed is less than the third rotational speed. This allows for accurate configuration of the target rotational speed. In some embodiments, the control method further includes: obtaining a second length of the space where the refrigerator is located, perpendicular to the air outlet direction of the cooling fan; and determining the operating time of at least one target rotational speed based on the second length. The direction of the second length is perpendicular to the air outlet direction of the cooling fan. Unlike the direct blowing of gas in the air outlet direction of the cooling fan, the gas delivered by the cooling fan gradually diffuses in this vertical direction to achieve purification. Determining the runtime of the target rotational speed based on the second length allows the operation process to correspond to the diffusion time, thus optimizing the purification effect. A larger second length results in a longer runtime. Thus, a larger second length provides more diffusion time, allowing the gas to diffuse fully for purification; a smaller second length helps save energy while meeting purification requirements. The runtime corresponding to each target rotational speed may be the same or different.

[0054] In some embodiments, the control method further includes: obtaining the concentration of pollutant gas within the refrigerator's space; and determining the operating duration of at least one target rotational speed based on the concentration of the pollutant gas. The higher the concentration of the pollutant gas, the longer the operating duration of the corresponding target rotational speed. This allows for direct determination of purification requirements based on the concentration of pollutant gas within the refrigerator's space, thereby improving the accuracy of the control process and optimizing the purification effect. The concentration of the pollutant gas is detected by a gas sensor installed in the refrigerator or a gas sensor installed within the refrigerator's space. In some embodiments, obtaining the concentration of pollutant gas within the refrigerator's space includes: obtaining the concentration of pollutant gas at multiple distances from the refrigerator within the refrigerator's space. This improves the accuracy of pollutant gas concentration detection, thereby improving the accuracy of the operating duration.

[0055] Combination Figure 7 As shown, the start-up conditions for the purification device are further defined. That is, the aforementioned step S11 includes steps S111 to S114.

[0056] Step S111: In response to the start command of the purification mode, obtain the operating status of the refrigerator.

[0057] Step S112: Determine whether the refrigerator is in cooling mode.

[0058] If the refrigerator is in cooling mode, proceed to step S113; if the refrigerator is not in cooling mode, i.e., in non-cooling mode, proceed to step S114.

[0059] Step S113: Control the purification device to start.

[0060] Step S114: Control the purification device to start based on the concentration of polluting gas in the space where the refrigerator is located and / or the historical operation information of the purification device.

[0061] This increases the constraints on starting the purification device, which helps improve the accuracy of the device's start-up control and thus helps save energy.

[0062] In some embodiments, the activation of the purification device is controlled based on the concentration of polluting gas in the space where the refrigerator is located. This includes activating the purification device when the concentration of polluting gas in the space where the refrigerator is located exceeds a certain upper limit threshold. By determining the purification requirement based on the concentration of polluting gas in the space where the refrigerator is located, the timing for activating the purification device can be accurately determined, improving the accuracy of the purification device activation control and thus contributing to energy savings.

[0063] In some embodiments, controlling the start-up of the air purifier based on its historical operating information includes: determining the duration the air purifier remains off based on its historical operating information; and controlling the start-up of the air purifier if the duration of the off state is greater than or equal to a duration threshold. This way, the current purification demand is determined by the duration the air purifier remains off. If the off duration reaches the duration threshold, it indicates that air purification has not been performed for a relatively long time, and there is a need for air purification. In this case, the air purifier is started to meet the purification demand. This improves the accuracy of the air purifier start-up control, thereby helping to save energy.

[0064] In the description of this disclosure, it should be understood that the terms "first," "second," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Therefore, a feature defined with "first," "second," etc., may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this disclosure, "a plurality of" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a refrigerator, the refrigerator comprising a cooling fan for forming a cooling airflow path through the condenser of the refrigerator when the refrigerator is in an open state; characterized in that, The refrigerator also includes a purification device disposed on the air outlet side of the cooling fan; the control method includes: In response to the start command of the purification mode, the purification device is controlled to start; The cooling fan is controlled to remain on when the purification device is in the start state, and the cooling fan is controlled to run alternately at multiple target speeds.

2. The control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Controlling the cooling fan to operate alternately at multiple target speeds includes: The cooling fan is controlled to alternately run at a first speed and a second speed.

3. The control method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The control of the cooling fan to alternately operate at a first speed and a second speed includes: While controlling the purification device to start, control the cooling fan to start running at a first speed; Wherein, the first rotational speed is less than the second rotational speed.

4. The control method according to claim 3, characterized in that, After the control and purification device is activated, it also includes: The purification device is controlled to remain in the start state while the cooling fan is running at the first speed. The purification device is controlled to pause operation for at least a portion of the time when the cooling fan is running at the second speed.

5. The control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: Obtain the first length of the space where the refrigerator is located in the air outlet direction of the cooling fan; At least one target rotational speed is determined based on the first length.

6. The control method according to claim 5, characterized in that, Determining at least one target rotational speed based on the first length includes: The first length is divided into intervals according to the set interval length to obtain multiple air supply intervals from near to far from the refrigerator; Based on the distance between each air supply zone and the refrigerator, a target rotation speed is set that corresponds one-to-one with each air supply zone; Among them, the target speed corresponding to the air supply zone that is farther away from the refrigerator is greater than or equal to the target speed corresponding to the air supply zone that is closer to the refrigerator, and the target speed corresponding to the air supply zone that is farthest away from the refrigerator is greater than the target speed corresponding to the air supply zone that is closest to the refrigerator.

7. The control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: Obtain the second length of the space where the refrigerator is located, perpendicular to the air outlet direction of the cooling fan; The operating time for at least one target rotational speed is determined based on the second length.

8. The control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: The concentration of polluting gases in the space where the refrigerator is located is obtained; The operating time for at least one target rotational speed is determined based on the concentration of the polluting gas.

9. The control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control of the purification device to start in response to the start command of the purification mode includes: In response to the activation command of the purification mode, the operating status of the refrigerator is obtained; When the refrigerator is in cooling mode, the purification device is activated. When the refrigerator is in non-cooling mode, the purification device is activated based on the concentration of polluting gas in the space where the refrigerator is located and / or the historical operating information of the purification device.

10. A refrigerator, comprising a cooling fan for forming a cooling airflow path through the condenser of the refrigerator when in an open state; characterized in that, The refrigerator also includes: A purification device is installed on the air outlet side of the cooling fan; One or more processors are used to implement the refrigerator control method as described in any one of claims 1-9.

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