Refrigerator and control method thereof

Abstract

This application provides a refrigerator and its control method, belonging to the field of home appliances. The refrigerator includes a body, a drawer assembly, and an atmosphere control assembly. The body has an internal cavity; the drawer assembly includes a drawer; the drawer has multiple independent storage compartments, each with vents in its wall and a sealing element at each vent; the atmosphere control assembly is mounted on the body and includes a negative pressure assembly and multiple suction pipes, one end of which is connected to the negative pressure assembly, and the other end has a suction port; each vent connects to a suction port; when the drawer is pulled out, the vents separate from the suction ports; the sealing element opens the vents when the negative pressure assembly provides negative pressure and closes the vents when the negative pressure assembly stops suction. The refrigerator provided by this application, after the drawer is reset and stored, only requires deoxygenation of the storage compartment where the low-oxygen environment has failed, without needing to deoxygenate the entire drawer space, effectively reducing energy consumption, shortening the waiting time for food to reach the required low-oxygen environment for preservation, and improving the user experience.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of home appliances, and more specifically, to a refrigerator and a method for controlling the refrigerator thereto. Background Technology

[0002] Regulating the gas composition of the storage environment is a core preservation method for extending the shelf life of fresh fruits and vegetables. A low-oxygen environment can inhibit the respiratory metabolism and lipid oxidation of fruits and vegetables, and this technology has been widely used in the fields of modified atmosphere storage and modified atmosphere packaging. Practice has proven that a storage environment with an oxygen concentration of 3%-5% can delay the aging of fruits and vegetables, inhibit the reproduction of aerobic microorganisms, and stably preserve the sensory quality and nutritional components of fruits and vegetables.

[0003] In related technologies, refrigerators are equipped with pull-out drawers, the interior of which forms a sealed chamber for storing fruits and vegetables. A vacuum pump combined with a nitrogen-oxygen separation membrane is used for physical displacement to extract oxygen-rich air from the chamber, creating a low-oxygen storage environment and extending the shelf life of fruits and vegetables. However, the sealed chamber in existing devices is a single, enclosed space. When users open the drawer to retrieve food, oxygen-rich air from outside rushes into the entire sealed chamber, rendering the low-oxygen environment ineffective. The device then needs to re-execute the deoxygenation process throughout the entire chamber, resulting in significant energy waste and prolonging the shelf life of food. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides a refrigerator and its control method to at least solve the technical problem of current household food preservation devices failing to maintain a completely low-oxygen environment after opening drawers to take out or put in food, requiring repeated deoxygenation, which leads to increased energy consumption and longer food preservation time. Specifically: This application provides a refrigerator, including: The body has internal cavities; A drawer assembly includes a drawer slidably fitted to a cavity and capable of being pulled out or retracted relative to the cavity; the drawer has multiple independent storage compartments, and the walls of the storage compartments have vents communicating with the storage compartments, with closures provided at the vents; The modified atmosphere assembly is installed on the body and includes a negative pressure assembly and multiple independently controlled air extraction pipes. One end of each of the multiple air extraction pipes is connected to the negative pressure assembly, and the other end is provided with an air extraction port. The air extraction ports of the multiple air extraction pipes correspond one-to-one with the air holes of the multiple storage chambers. When the drawer is housed inside the cavity, each of the air holes is connected to the corresponding air extraction port; when the drawer is pulled out, the air holes are separated from the air extraction ports; the closure opens the air holes when the negative pressure assembly provides negative pressure, and closes the air holes when the negative pressure assembly stops extracting air.

[0005] According to one embodiment of this application, the drawer assembly includes a plurality of sealed boxes; the drawer interior forms a storage cavity, the storage cavity is divided into a plurality of placement positions, the plurality of sealed boxes are placed in the storage cavity, and one sealed box corresponds to one placement position; each sealed box interior forms a storage cavity, and the air hole is opened at the top of the sealed box.

[0006] According to one embodiment of this application, the end of the air extraction pipe opposite to the negative pressure component is provided with an air extraction head, and the air extraction port is opened on the air extraction head; the top of the sealing box is provided with an air nozzle, and the air hole is opened on the air nozzle; the axis of the air extraction head is parallel to the axis of the air nozzle, and when the drawer is received inside the cavity, the axes of the air extraction head and the air nozzle are aligned and connected.

[0007] According to one embodiment of this application, the sealing member includes a support frame disposed inside the air nozzle and a silicone valve; the support frame is connected to the air nozzle, and the silicone valve is movably mounted on the support frame along the axial direction of the air nozzle; when the negative pressure component generates negative pressure, the silicone valve moves along the axial direction of the air nozzle toward the side closer to the suction head to open the air hole; when the negative pressure component stops suctioning, the silicone valve resets and seals the air hole.

[0008] According to one embodiment of this application, the negative pressure assembly includes a vacuum pump, a nitrogen-oxygen separation membrane, and a multi-way valve. The ends of the plurality of extraction pipes away from the extraction port are respectively connected to the inlets of the multi-way valve. The outlet of the multi-way valve is connected to the vacuum pump via the nitrogen-oxygen separation membrane. The multi-way valve is used to individually control the opening and closing of any one or more extraction pipes.

[0009] According to one embodiment of this application, the refrigerator further includes an identification unit, a timing unit, and a control unit; the control unit is electrically connected to the identification unit, the timing unit, the vacuum pump, and the multi-way valve respectively; the identification unit is installed inside the cavity and is used to detect whether the sealed box is placed in each of the placement positions; the timing unit is used to record the oxygen reduction operation time. The control unit receives the detection signal from the identification unit, controls the corresponding air extraction pipe to be opened via the multi-way valve, and controls the vacuum pump to start reducing oxygen. When the oxygen reduction time recorded by the timing unit reaches the preset time, the control unit controls the vacuum pump to stop running.

[0010] According to one embodiment of this application, the identification unit is further configured to identify the type of items stored inside each of the sealed boxes; the control unit adjusts the oxygen concentration inside the corresponding sealed box to a preset concentration range matching the identified item type. The control unit controls the multi-way valve to open the corresponding air extraction pipe and controls the negative pressure component to start in order to reduce oxygen in the target sealed box; When the oxygen reduction time for a single sealed box reaches the preset time for that item, the control unit controls the multi-way valve to close the extraction pipe; after all sealed boxes containing items have completed oxygen reduction, the control unit controls the negative pressure component to stop operating. If the drawer is pulled out during the oxygen reduction operation and the sealed box is not opened, the control unit controls the negative pressure component to stop and the timing unit pauses the timing; after the drawer is returned to the cavity, the negative pressure component restarts and the timing unit resumes the timing from the previous duration. If the drawer is pulled out during the oxygen reduction operation and the corresponding sealing box is opened, the control unit controls the negative pressure component to stop, and the timing unit is reset to zero and stops timing; after the drawer is returned to the cavity, the negative pressure component restarts, and the timing unit is reset to zero and starts timing again.

[0011] According to one embodiment of this application, when the identification unit detects that there is a placement position without a sealed box, the control unit controls the multi-way valve to open the air extraction pipe corresponding to the empty placement position, and controls the vacuum pump to start to extract air and reduce oxygen in the empty placement position area; the timing unit is used to record the oxygen reduction time, and when the oxygen reduction time reaches the preset time, the control unit controls the vacuum pump to turn off; if the drawer is pulled out during the oxygen reduction process, the timing unit is reset to zero and the timing starts again.

[0012] According to one embodiment of this application, the refrigerator further includes a sealing gasket; the sealing gasket is disposed at the open end of the cavity, and an end plate is disposed at the end of the drawer away from the insertion direction, the edge of the end plate extending outward beyond the side wall of the drawer; when the drawer is received inside the cavity, the end plate and the sealing gasket are tightly fitted together.

[0013] According to one embodiment of this application, the cavity is provided with guide rails on two opposite side walls along the horizontal direction, the extension direction of the guide rails is consistent with the pull-out direction of the drawer, and the two sides of the drawer are respectively slidably engaged with the corresponding guide rails.

[0014] According to one embodiment of this application, the sealed box includes a box body and a cover plate; the top of the box body forms an opening, and the cover plate fastens and seals the top opening of the box body, and the air hole is opened on the cover plate.

[0015] This application also provides a refrigerator control method, applied to the refrigerator of the above-described embodiment, comprising the following steps: receiving a detection signal from the identification unit, controlling the corresponding air extraction pipe to be opened via the multi-way valve, and controlling the vacuum pump to start oxygen reduction; when the oxygen reduction time recorded by the timing unit reaches a preset time, the control unit controls the vacuum pump to stop running. By adopting the above technical solution, this application has the following beneficial effects compared with the prior art: The refrigerator provided in this application includes a body, a drawer assembly, and an atmosphere control assembly; the body has a cavity inside; the drawer assembly includes a drawer, the drawer is divided into multiple independent storage compartments, and each storage compartment has an air hole in its wall that communicates with its own cavity, and the air hole is equipped with a sealing element; the atmosphere control assembly is installed on the body, and includes a negative pressure assembly and multiple air extraction pipes, one end of each of the multiple air extraction pipes is connected to the negative pressure assembly, and the other end is provided with an air extraction port.

[0016] When the drawer is fully retracted into the cavity, each vent corresponds to a separate exhaust port. At this time, the negative pressure assembly, in conjunction with the exhaust pipe, deoxygenates each storage compartment. When the drawer is pulled out, the vents and exhaust ports separate, and the sealing element automatically seals the vents. If a single storage compartment remains closed, the sealing element continuously isolates it from outside air; the low-oxygen environment only dissipates when the corresponding compartment is opened.

[0017] Based on the above structure, after the drawer is reset and stored, only the storage cavity where the low-oxygen environment has failed needs to be deoxygenated separately. There is no need to deoxygenate the entire drawer space again, which effectively reduces energy consumption, shortens the waiting time for food to reach the low-oxygen environment required for preservation, and improves the user experience. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a partial structural diagram of the drawer assembly inserted into the machine body in an embodiment of this application; Figure 2 This is an exploded view of the part of the structure where the drawer assembly is connected to the body in the embodiments of this application; Figure 3 This is an exploded view from another angle of the part of the structure where the drawer assembly is connected to the body in the embodiments of this application; Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the structure of the drawer assembly when it is inserted into the machine body in an embodiment of this application; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the connection between the drawer assembly and the controlled atmosphere assembly in an embodiment of this application; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the sealed box in the embodiment of this application when the cover is in the open state; Figure 7This is a cross-sectional view of the sealed box in the embodiment of this application with the cover plate in the open state; Figure 8 This is a cross-sectional view of the sealed box in the embodiment of this application when the cover is in the closed state; Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the supporting skeleton in the embodiments of this application.

[0019] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 1. Body; 11. Cavity; 2. Drawer assembly; 21. Drawer; 211. End plate; 212. Storage cavity; 22. Sealing box; 221. Storage cavity; 222. Box body; 223. Cover plate; 2231. Air nozzle; 3. Sealing component; 31. Support frame; 311. Sealing plate; 3111. First through hole; 3112. Second through hole; 32. Silicone valve; 4. Modified atmosphere assembly; 41. Air extraction pipe; 411. Air extraction head; 42. Vacuum pump; 43. Nitrogen-oxygen separation membrane; 44. Multi-way valve; 5. Sealing gasket. Detailed Implementation

[0020] The embodiments of this application are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and intended to explain this application, and should not be construed as limiting this application.

[0021] In the description of this application, the phrase "in one embodiment" does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, although it may refer to the same embodiment. Similarly, the phrase "in some embodiments," as used herein, does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment when used multiple times, although it may refer to the same embodiment. As used herein, the term "or" is an inclusive "or" operator and is equivalent to the term "and / or," unless the context clearly specifies otherwise. The term "based on" is not exclusive and allows for reliance on additional factors not described, unless the context clearly specifies otherwise. The word "exemplary" herein means "serving as an example, instance, or illustration." Any embodiment described herein as "exemplary" is not necessarily to be construed as superior to or better than other embodiments. The scope of this application is limited only by the scope of the appended claims, and any examples set forth in this specification are not intended to be limiting, but merely to illustrate some of the many possible embodiments of the claimed application. The various embodiments provided in this application should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of this application.

[0022] Furthermore, 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. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0023] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; 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; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances.

[0024] Combination Figures 1 to 5 As shown, the refrigerator provided in this embodiment includes a body 1, a drawer assembly 2, and a controlled atmosphere assembly 4. The body 1 is the load-bearing structure of the refrigerator, and its interior has a cavity 11 for accommodating the drawer assembly 2, providing a stable installation space and working environment for the pull-out movement of the drawer 21 and the assembly and operation of the controlled atmosphere assembly 4.

[0025] The drawer assembly 2 is slidably fitted inside the cavity 11 of the body 1. The drawer 21 can be stably pulled out relative to the cavity 11, enabling regular operation of extending outwards to retrieve and place food, and retracting inwards for storage. The drawer 21 contains multiple independent and non-communicating storage chambers 221, each of which can be independently sealed, allowing for the categorized storage of food and effectively preventing cross-contamination and the mixing of flavors between different ingredients. Each storage chamber 221 has an air vent on its wall that communicates with its own interior. These vents can be located on the side, bottom, or top wall of the storage chamber 221, without restriction. Each air vent is independently fitted with a sealing element 3, which adaptively opens and closes the vent according to the negative pressure within the chamber, achieving independent airtight control of the storage chamber 221.

[0026] The modified atmosphere assembly 4 is fixedly installed inside the body 1. As the core control structure for low-oxygen preservation in the refrigerator, it specifically includes a negative pressure assembly and multiple independently controlled suction pipes 41. The number of suction pipes 41 corresponds one-to-one with the number of storage cavities 221 inside the drawer 21. One end of each suction pipe 41 is connected to the negative pressure assembly, which provides stable negative pressure suction power. The other end of each suction pipe 41 is equipped with a separate suction port. The suction ports of multiple suction pipes 41 correspond one-to-one with the air holes of multiple storage cavities 221, forming a multi-path independent suction airflow structure, which can realize independent suction operation of a single storage cavity 221.

[0027] This application achieves precise zoned oxygen reduction and oxygen retention functions through structural adaptation and matching. The specific working process is as follows: When drawer 21 is fully housed inside cavity 11, the air vents of each storage cavity 221 are precisely connected to the air extraction ports of each extraction pipe 41, and the air path is open. At this time, the negative pressure component starts to generate negative pressure, and the negative pressure force can drive the sealing component 3 to automatically open the air vents, and draw air from the corresponding storage cavity 221 through the corresponding extraction pipe 41, quickly reducing the oxygen concentration inside the storage cavity 221 and creating a low-oxygen preservation environment.

[0028] When drawer 21 is pulled out and the user takes out or puts in food, the air vents and corresponding air extraction ports automatically separate as drawer 21 moves, the air path is disconnected, and the negative pressure disappears. The negative pressure component stops extracting air, and after losing the negative pressure driving force, the sealing parts 3 at each air vent automatically reset and seal the air vents, making the corresponding independent storage chamber 221 a sealed space. Under this design, when any one or a few storage chambers 221 are opened to take out or put in food, only the opened storage chamber 221 will be connected to the outside air, and the low-oxygen environment will fail. The remaining unopened independent storage chambers 221 can rely on the sealing parts 3 to continuously maintain a sealed low-oxygen state, and will not be affected by the pulling action of drawer 21.

[0029] In the refrigerator provided in this embodiment, when the drawer 21 is fully housed inside the cavity 11, each air vent is connected to a corresponding air extraction port. At this time, the negative pressure component, in conjunction with the extraction pipe 41, can perform oxygen reduction treatment on each storage cavity 221. When the drawer 21 is pulled out, the air vent and the air extraction port separate, and the sealing component 3 automatically seals the air vent. If a single storage cavity 221 is not opened, the sealing component 3 can continuously isolate the storage cavity 221 from the outside air. The low-oxygen environment inside the corresponding storage cavity 221 will only fail when it is opened. Based on this structure, after the drawer 21 is reset and housed, only the storage cavity 221 where the low-oxygen environment has failed needs to be deoxygenated individually. There is no need to deoxygenate the entire space of the drawer 21 again, which effectively reduces energy consumption, shortens the waiting time for food to reach the low-oxygen environment required for preservation, and avoids noise interference caused by the long-term operation of the negative pressure component, thus improving the user experience. It can reduce the oxygen concentration in the storage chamber 221 to the suitable range of 3-5% for fruits and vegetables in a short time, effectively inhibiting the respiration and oxidation of fruits and vegetables, greatly extending the shelf life of food and maintaining the nutritional components and taste of food.

[0030] Compared to the traditional refrigerator's structure of whole-cavity deoxygenation and door-opening oxygen removal, this application, through the combined design of multiple independent storage cavities 221, adaptive opening and closing sealing components 3, and multiple independent air extraction paths, completely solves the drawback of traditional equipment that requires deoxygenation of the entire drawer 21 space every time the door is opened. This significantly shortens the deoxygenation operation time, reduces equipment energy consumption, and at the same time, the continuous and stable partitioned low-oxygen environment can effectively inhibit food oxidation and bacterial growth, significantly extend the food preservation period, and greatly improve the refrigerator's preservation performance and user experience.

[0031] In some implementations, combined Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 5 As shown, the drawer assembly 2 includes multiple independently set sealing boxes 22. The drawer 21 has an internal storage cavity 212, which is divided into multiple placement positions. Each sealing box 22 is placed within the storage cavity 212, with one sealing box 22 corresponding to one placement position. This ensures that the sealing boxes 22 are neatly arranged inside the drawer 21 without crowding each other, and that the assembly position is stable and reliable. The sealing boxes 22 can be fixed inside the drawer 21 using bolts or other methods, or they can be movably placed in their respective placement positions. Users can flexibly increase or decrease the number of sealing boxes 22 and adjust their arrangement according to the quantity and type of food stored, adapting to diverse storage scenarios and offering greater flexibility.

[0032] Each sealed box 22 is an independent, sealed cavity 11, with its internal storage chamber 221 formed separately. This allows the drawer 21 to form several isolated and non-interconnected independent storage spaces within the drawer, completely changing the traditional interconnected storage structure of the drawer 21. This enables partitioned and categorized storage of food, adapting to the differentiated preservation needs of different ingredients such as fruits, vegetables, dried goods, and fresh produce. To match the machine's independent oxygen reduction working logic, the air vents are uniformly located at the top of the sealed box 22, avoiding problems such as food obstruction and liquid accumulation, ensuring unobstructed airflow, and facilitating precise alignment with the extraction structure of the upper atmosphere control component 4, providing a reliable structural foundation for independent extraction and pressure maintenance of each chamber. It is understood that the storage chamber 212 can also be formed by partitions inside the drawer 21, without restriction.

[0033] Traditional refrigerator crisper drawers 21 are mostly one-piece, continuous large cavity structures 11. When the entire system is evacuated to reduce oxygen and create a negative pressure environment, a significant pressure difference arises between the inside of the cavity 11 and the outside. The large-area drawer walls 21, end plates 211, and bottom plate need to withstand extremely high negative pressure differential loads. To prevent the drawer 21 from denting, deforming, bulging, or even structurally damaged under negative pressure, traditional structures must increase structural strength by adding numerous reinforcing ribs, thickening the plates, and using high-strength modified plastics or metal composite materials. This results in complex drawer 21 molding processes, large raw material consumption, and high mold costs, significantly increasing the overall manufacturing cost and product weight, making it less economical.

[0034] This application employs a multi-independent sealed box 22 partitioned structure, disassembling the original large-size integral cavity 11 into multiple smaller independent storage cavities 221. The pressure-bearing area of ​​each storage cavity 221 is significantly reduced, and the stress load on each cavity under negative pressure is significantly reduced, greatly mitigating the risk of deformation of the cavity 11. Therefore, the drawer body and sealed boxes 22 do not require thickened structures, dense reinforcing ribs, or ultra-high-strength special materials; they can be made from conventional general-purpose plastic materials and with conventional wall thicknesses. While fully meeting the structural strength requirements under negative pressure modified atmosphere conditions, this significantly reduces material costs, simplifies the injection molding mold structure, and lowers production processing difficulty and defect rate. Simultaneously, the multi-cavity independently pressure-bearing structure can distribute the load, avoiding the problem of localized stress concentration in traditional large cavities 11, effectively improving the overall structural stability and service life of the drawer 21. While ensuring preservation performance and structural reliability, this significantly optimizes product production costs and mass production economics.

[0035] In some examples, combined Figures 6 to 8 As shown, the sealing box 22 adopts a split-type snap-fit ​​sealing structure, specifically comprising two parts: a box body 222 and a cover plate 223. The box body 222 is a hollow cavity 11 structure with a through top, forming a completely open opening at the top, facilitating direct access to and cleaning of food inside the box, thus enhancing ease of operation. The cover plate 223 is a sealing cover 223 adapted to the opening size of the box body 222, precisely snapping onto the top opening. Through the tight fit between the cover plate 223 and the opening of the box body 222, the opening is completely sealed, creating an independent, sealed storage cavity 221 inside the box body 222. This effectively isolates external air, moisture, and odors, providing a reliable sealed environment for low-oxygen preservation. The cover plate 223 and the box body 222 can be connected by a hinge or a snap-fit ​​connection, without limitation.

[0036] To accommodate the top-mounted suction system, the air vents are strategically positioned in the center of the cover 223. This arrangement completely avoids the problems of food stacking obstructing the air vents or juice accumulation clogging them, ensuring unobstructed airflow throughout the process. Furthermore, the cover 223 is a detachable and independent structure, allowing for individual cleaning and maintenance. This facilitates the removal of residual impurities from the air vents, effectively preventing blockages and poor ventilation after prolonged use. It ensures the stable operation of the independent suction and adaptive oxygen reduction functions of each sealed compartment 22, continuously maintaining a stable low-oxygen preservation environment inside the storage chamber 221.

[0037] In some implementations, combined Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, each exhaust pipe 41 has an exhaust head 411 mounted on its end away from the negative pressure component. The exhaust port is located at the center of the end of the exhaust head 411, serving as the exhaust port for the modified atmosphere component 4 to connect with the storage cavity 221. Correspondingly, an air nozzle 2231 is fixedly installed on the top of the sealed box 22 for integrating the air hole structure. The air hole of the storage cavity 221 is opened through the center of the air nozzle 2231, so that the air hole is precisely connected to the storage cavity 221 inside the sealed box 22.

[0038] Combination Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, in the assembled state, the central axis of the suction head 411 is parallel to the central axis of the air nozzle 2231, ensuring a unified alignment reference. When the drawer 21 is fully housed inside the cavity 11 of the body 1, the suction head 411 and the corresponding air nozzle 2231 are precisely fitted and connected, and their axes are completely coincident, realizing precise coaxial connection between the suction port and the air hole, and establishing a stable and sealed independent suction passage.

[0039] This coaxial docking structure can effectively avoid problems such as misalignment and leakage, and gas path deviation, ensuring the independence of the evacuation operation of a single storage chamber 221, avoiding airflow crosstalk between different storage chambers 221, and further improving the accuracy and stability of zoned oxygen reduction.

[0040] In some examples, the axis of the suction head 411 and the axis of the air nozzle 2231 are both parallel to the vertical plane, ensuring a neat and uniform docking direction. To adapt to the injection molding process of the refrigerator body 1, the side wall of the cavity 11 is provided with a preset draft angle. This draft angle can effectively reduce the demolding difficulty of the cavity 11 and improve the molding accuracy and production yield of the cabinet. Based on the draft angle structure of the cavity 11, as the drawer 21 pushes the cavity 11 horizontally, it will simultaneously generate a slight vertical upward displacement under the guidance of the draft angle, realizing the adaptive fine adjustment of the position of the drawer 21, and finally making the air nozzle 2231 on the top of the sealing box 22 automatically aligned and tightly fitted with the corresponding suction head 411.

[0041] This structure does not require additional precision positioning and limiting structures. It can automatically align and correct the drawer 21 during the receiving process by relying on the inherent draft angle of the cavity 11. This effectively offsets the docking deviation caused by assembly tolerances, part machining errors and assembly gaps, further ensuring the sealing and alignment accuracy of the air circuit docking, eliminating air leakage and cross-flow problems caused by alignment misalignment, and ensuring the stable and reliable operation of the oxygen reduction operation of each independent storage cavity 221.

[0042] In some implementations, combined Figures 6 to 9 As shown, the sealing component 3 includes a support frame 31 and a silicone valve 32 disposed inside the air nozzle 2231. The support frame 31, as a fixed load-bearing structure, is securely connected to the inner wall of the air nozzle 2231. Its overall design features a hollow, openable structure, achieving stable fixation without obstructing the air passage, ensuring smooth airflow. The silicone valve 32 is a flexible sealing and opening / closing component. The silicone valve 32 includes a valve head and a valve seat. The valve head protrudes from one side of the valve seat and is coaxially arranged with the valve seat. Figure 9 As shown, the support frame 31 has a through hole in its middle. The outer diameter of the valve seat is smaller than that of the through hole. The support frame 31 has a sealing plate 311 in its middle. The sealing plate 311 has a first through hole 3111 and multiple second through holes 3112. The first through hole 3111 is located in the middle of the sealing plate 311 and allows the valve head to be inserted and slide. The multiple second through holes 3112 surround the outer periphery of the first through hole 3111. When the silicone valve 32 moves downward, it can block the first through hole 3111 and the multiple second through holes 3112 through the valve seat. When the silicone valve 32 moves upward, it can open the second through holes 3112 to allow gas to flow. The support frame 31 is used to limit and guide axial movement, restricting the silicone valve 32 from radial displacement and skew, ensuring that the silicone valve 32 can only move precisely back and forth along the axial direction of the air nozzle 2231, effectively improving the stability and reliability of the opening and closing action.

[0043] The sealing element 3 achieves adaptive opening and closing based on negative pressure difference. The specific working principle is as follows: When the negative pressure component is activated to generate negative pressure suction, a negative pressure differential is formed inside the storage cavity 221. This pressure differential drives the silicone valve 32 to move along the axial direction of the nozzle 2231 toward the side closer to the suction head 411, causing the silicone valve 32 to disengage from the vent blockage position and the vent to be fully opened. At this time, the suction passage is open, and the storage cavity 221 inside the sealed box 22 can be smoothly evacuated to reduce oxygen. When the negative pressure component stops working and the negative pressure disappears, the pressure differential force is eliminated. The silicone valve 32 automatically resets due to gravity and the negative pressure of the storage cavity 221, tightly sealing the vent at the nozzle 2231, so that the storage cavity 221 can re-form a sealed space.

[0044] This structure requires no additional electronic control switches or drive components. It relies on negative pressure self-adaptation to achieve automatic opening and closing of the vents. It has a simple structure, sensitive response, and excellent sealing effect. It can effectively prevent outside air from entering the storage chamber 221 under non-exhaust conditions, avoid the failure of the low oxygen environment inside the storage chamber 221, and ensure the independent oxygen preservation and freshness preservation effect of each zone.

[0045] In some implementations, combined Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the negative pressure assembly includes a vacuum pump 42, a nitrogen-oxygen separation membrane 43, and a multi-way valve 44, which are assembled in sequence to form a complete gas regulation pumping system. Multiple extraction pipes 41 are connected one-to-one with each air inlet of the multi-way valve 44 at their ends away from the extraction port, so that each extraction pipe 41 independently corresponds to one air inlet channel, avoiding mutual interference between the air paths. The common air outlet of the multi-way valve 44 is connected to the air inlet of the nitrogen-oxygen separation membrane 43 through a pipe. The air outlet of the nitrogen-oxygen separation membrane 43 is finally connected to the vacuum pump 42, forming a complete progressive air path structure from the storage chamber 221, extraction pipes 41, multi-way valve 44, nitrogen-oxygen separation membrane 43 to vacuum pump 42. The inner end wall of the cavity 11 is provided with a mounting frame. The nitrogen-oxygen separation membrane 43 is mounted on the mounting frame through a fixed grid. The side of the fixed grid facing the cavity 11 is provided with an outer cover, so that the inner wall of the cavity 11 is flat. The cavity wall of the cavity 11 forms a pipe space. The extraction pipe 41 extends upward to the top wall, and the extraction head 411 extends downward into the cavity 11 or is flush with the top wall of the cavity 11.

[0046] Among them, the multi-way valve 44, as the independent control core of the multi-channel gas path, has the ability to control the on / off of single or multiple gas paths individually. It can individually control the opening and closing of any one or more extraction pipes 41 according to the actual working needs of the storage chamber 221, precisely selecting the storage chamber 221 that needs gas extraction and oxygen reduction, achieving targeted zoned gas extraction operations. Combined with the nitrogen-oxygen separation membrane 43, it can screen the gas during the extraction process, effectively separating oxygen and nitrogen from the air, quickly reducing the oxygen content inside the storage chamber 221, creating a stable low-oxygen preservation atmosphere, achieving efficient oxygen reduction while maintaining appropriate air pressure inside the chamber, and avoiding excessive negative pressure that could cause damage to the food. The vacuum pump 42, as the power source of the entire gas path, provides stable negative pressure suction for the entire extraction process, ensuring the continuous and stable operation of gas extraction and gas screening. This integrated negative pressure structure balances control flexibility with oxygen reduction and preservation effect, effectively adapting to the zoned preservation needs of the multiple independent storage cavities 221 in this application, reducing ineffective air extraction energy consumption, and improving the overall preservation energy efficiency of the refrigerator.

[0047] In some implementations, the refrigerator also includes an identification unit, a timing unit, and a control unit, forming a complete intelligent electronic control system. The control unit, as the core of the entire unit's modified atmosphere operation, is electrically connected to the identification unit, timing unit, vacuum pump 42, and multi-way valve 44. It can synchronously collect detection signals, accurately control the gas path opening and closing, and the start and stop of the suction power, achieving coordinated control of all components. The identification unit is fixedly installed inside the cavity 11 in the area corresponding to each placement position. It can detect in real time whether a sealed box 22 is placed in each position, accurately collect the actual storage status of each storage area, and feed back the detected position signal to the control unit in real time. The timing unit is used to accurately record the oxygen reduction operation time corresponding to each suction pipe 41, providing data support for quantitative and timed oxygen reduction, ensuring standardized and precise operation of the oxygen reduction process.

[0048] In actual operation, the control unit receives detection signals transmitted by the identification unit in real time. Based on the placement status of the sealed boxes 22 at each location, it accurately determines the target area where oxygen reduction operation needs to be initiated and controls the multi-way valve 44 to activate the corresponding air extraction pipe 41. Simultaneously, it controls the vacuum pump 42 to start running and perform air extraction and oxygen reduction operation on the target storage cavity 221, achieving targeted oxygen reduction on demand and avoiding energy waste caused by indiscriminate full-area air extraction. During the oxygen reduction operation, the timing unit synchronously and in real time counts the oxygen reduction running time of the corresponding pipeline. When the recorded oxygen reduction time reaches the system's preset standard time and the oxygen concentration inside the storage cavity 221 reaches the standard, the control unit can automatically control the vacuum pump 42 to stop running and cooperate with the multi-way valve 44 to close the corresponding gas path, completing a single precise oxygen reduction operation.

[0049] This intelligent control structure relies on the integrated design of detection, timing and control to achieve adaptive zoning oxygen reduction based on the actual storage conditions, which greatly improves the intelligence of the refrigerator's modified atmosphere preservation, effectively reduces the equipment's ineffective energy consumption, and at the same time ensures that each storage cavity 221 always maintains a suitable low-oxygen preservation environment.

[0050] In some examples, the identification unit has multi-dimensional detection and identification functions. In addition to detecting the placement status of the sealed box 22, it can also accurately identify the specific types of food stored inside each sealed box 22. The control unit has pre-stored exclusive preset oxygen concentration ranges and matching deoxygenation times for different types of food. Based on the item type signal fed back by the identification unit, it can accurately match the corresponding low-oxygen preservation parameters for different foods, achieving differentiated and precise preservation for each item, adapting to the different respiration intensities and preservation needs of different foods such as fruits and vegetables, fresh meat, dried goods, and cooked food.

[0051] The specific control logic is as follows: Based on the food identification results, the control unit precisely connects the exhaust pipe 41 of the corresponding target sealed box 22 by controlling the multi-way valve 44, and controls the negative pressure component to start, performing targeted independent oxygen reduction operations on the target sealed box 22. The system sets exclusive oxygen reduction preset durations for different foods. When the real-time oxygen reduction duration of a single sealed box 22 matches the preset duration corresponding to that type of food, and the oxygen concentration in the cavity reaches the matching range, the control unit immediately controls the multi-way valve 44 to individually close the exhaust pipe 41, avoiding excessive air extraction that would waste energy or result in poor food preservation. After all the sealed boxes 22 containing food have completed the precise oxygen reduction operation, the control unit then uniformly controls the negative pressure component to stop operating, completing the entire round of zoned intelligent oxygen reduction process. For example, some foods are suitable for the first oxygen concentration, which is 3-5%; some foods are suitable for the second oxygen concentration, which is 6-9%; and some foods are suitable for the third oxygen concentration, which is 10-15%.

[0052] Meanwhile, this application sets differentiated timing strategies for the operation of drawer 21 being pulled out and sealing box 22 being opened and closed during use, further optimizing the oxygen reduction accuracy and energy consumption control. If drawer 21 is pulled out during oxygen reduction operation, but the corresponding sealing box 22 is not opened, only the air path of cavity 11 is disconnected, and the sealed low-oxygen environment inside sealing box 22 is not destroyed, the control unit immediately controls the negative pressure component to temporarily stop, the timing unit pauses timing and retains the current timing data; after drawer 21 is completely reassembled inside cavity 11 and the air path is reconnected, the negative pressure component automatically restarts, and the timing unit continues timing based on the previously retained duration, without having to start timing from zero again, effectively reducing repeated oxygen reduction operations.

[0053] If drawer 21 is pulled out during the deoxygenation process and the corresponding sealed box 22 is opened simultaneously, the inside of the sealed box 22 will be directly connected to the outside air, and the original low-oxygen environment will be completely invalidated, making it impossible to continue deoxygenation. At this time, the control unit will stop the negative pressure component and the timing unit will be reset to zero to terminate the current timing. After the user has finished taking out and putting in the food and drawer 21 has been returned to the cavity 11, the negative pressure component will restart, and the timing unit will start timing again from zero, performing a completely new deoxygenation process on the sealed box 22.

[0054] By using differentiated timing and restart logic for the two operating conditions, the system can maximize the preservation of the effective oxygen reduction process and reduce energy consumption, while also precisely resetting the operating process for failed preservation environments, thus comprehensively balancing the refrigerator's preservation stability and energy-saving effect.

[0055] In other examples, this application can achieve balanced low-oxygen preservation throughout the entire space of drawer 21. It not only precisely reduces oxygen in the area of ​​the sealed container 22 where food is placed, but also simultaneously modulated atmosphere treatment in empty spaces within drawer 21 where no sealed container 22 is placed. Specifically, the identification unit can detect the vacancy status of each placement space in real time. When the identification unit detects an empty space without a sealed container 22 inside drawer 21, the control unit will actively regulate the multi-way valve 44 to open the independent exhaust pipe 41 corresponding to that empty space and control the vacuum pump 42 to start working. This targeted exhaust and oxygen reduction operation is performed on the area of ​​drawer 21 corresponding to the empty space, ensuring that the entire cavity 11 of drawer 21 maintains a low-oxygen environment. This prevents excessively high oxygen concentrations in empty areas from causing bacterial growth, and also prevents high-oxygen flow in empty areas from interfering with the low-oxygen preservation space of the sealed container 22, further improving the overall uniformity of preservation.

[0056] During the deoxygenation process in the vacant area, the timing unit independently records the deoxygenation duration of the vacant gas path. When the deoxygenation time in the vacant area reaches the system's preset standard time and the oxygen concentration in the area drops to the preset range, the control unit can control the vacuum pump 42 to stop the gas extraction operation of that path, completing the controlled atmosphere preservation process in the vacant area. At the same time, a dedicated linkage logic is set for the deoxygenation conditions in the vacant area. If the drawer 21 is pulled out during the deoxygenation process in the vacant area, the gas path connection in the cavity 11 is broken, and the preservation environment is disrupted. The control unit simultaneously controls the timing unit to reset to zero. After the drawer 21 is completely retracted into the cavity 11, the timing unit restarts the timing from zero and starts a new round of deoxygenation in the vacant area, ensuring that each deoxygenation operation in the vacant area is carried out based on the completely sealed environment of the cavity 11, ensuring the accuracy and effectiveness of the overall low oxygen control.

[0057] In some specific examples, this application, based on a multi-chamber independently controllable gas path structure, can adaptively match the effective working time of the vacuum pump 42 according to the actual storage loading state, achieving precise on-demand evacuation and effectively reducing ineffective working energy consumption and evacuation time. The specific control logic is as follows: the equipment has a preset standard total oxygen reduction time under full load conditions of drawer 21. Based on this standard time, the actual effective opening time of the vacuum pump 42 is positively correlated with the number of empty storage chambers 221. The actual working time can satisfy the following matching relationship: the actual opening time of the vacuum pump 42 is equal to the standard full load oxygen reduction time multiplied by the ratio of the number of empty sealed boxes 22 to the total number of sealed boxes 22.

[0058] Taking the assembly specification of drawer 21, which can accommodate a maximum of four sealed boxes 22, as an example, the following explanation is provided: When the preset full-load standard oxygen reduction time is one hour, if the user actually places only three sealed boxes 22 and the single compartment is empty, the system can automatically identify the empty area and perform a small amount of gas replenishment and adjustment only for the empty area. There is no need to perform full-load long-term evacuation of all chambers 11. At this time, the actual operating time of vacuum pump 42 is only fifteen minutes. It can be seen that this application can dynamically adjust the working load of vacuum pump 42 according to the actual number of items stored by the user. The closer the number of sealed boxes 22 is to full load, the shorter the ineffective evacuation time.

[0059] In some examples, the recognition unit specifically uses a camera, which is fixedly mounted inside the top side of the cavity 11, facing the storage cavity 212 of the drawer 21. The sealed box 22 is made of transparent material, and the camera's field of view completely covers all placement positions, enabling real-time acquisition of full-area image information inside the drawer 21, providing visual recognition data support for the refrigerator's intelligent atmosphere control. The camera has dual recognition functions: area recognition and food category recognition, and can simultaneously complete the detection of empty placement positions, the recognition of the presence of the sealed box 22, and the recognition of the type of food inside the box.

[0060] Specifically, the camera can accurately identify the occupancy status of each placement position through real-time image acquisition and image analysis processing, and determine whether a sealed box 22 is placed in each position, thereby accurately locating empty placement positions and effective storage areas. For the detected empty placement positions without a sealed box 22, the control unit actively regulates the multi-way valve 44 to open the independent air extraction pipe 41 corresponding to the empty placement position, and controls the vacuum pump 42 to start working, specifically performing air extraction and oxygen reduction operations on the drawer 21 area corresponding to the empty placement position, so that the entire cavity 11 space of the drawer 21 can maintain a low-oxygen environment, avoiding excessive oxygen concentration in the empty area and the growth of bacteria, while preventing the high oxygen flow in the empty area from interfering with the low-oxygen preservation space of the sealed box 22, effectively improving the uniformity of preservation throughout the drawer 21.

[0061] Meanwhile, the camera can identify the types of food inside the transparent sealed box 22. Through a pre-trained food image algorithm model, it compares and analyzes the features of the collected food, such as shape, color, and texture, to accurately identify different food categories, such as fruits and vegetables, berries, fresh meat, dried goods, and cooked food. Based on the food category signal fed back by the camera, the control unit matches and retrieves the corresponding preset oxygen concentration range and standard deoxygenation time for each food category, achieving differentiated and precise deoxygenation and preservation for different foods. This completely solves the drawback of traditional refrigerators' uniform deoxygenation, which cannot adapt to the preservation needs of multiple types of food.

[0062] In some embodiments, to further improve the overall airtightness of the cavity 11 and reduce the interference of outside air infiltration on the low-oxygen preservation environment, the refrigerator of this application is also provided with a sealing structure. Specifically, in conjunction with Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the refrigerator also includes a sealing gasket 5, which is fixedly installed at the opening end of the cavity 11 and arranged circumferentially around the opening of the cavity 11 to form an annular sealing barrier. An end plate 211 is fixedly installed at the end of the drawer 21 away from the insertion direction of the cavity 11. The overall size of the end plate 211 is larger than the cross-sectional size of the drawer body, so that the outer peripheral edge of the end plate 211 extends outward beyond the side wall of the drawer 21, forming an outward-folding sealing structure that can completely cover the assembly gap between the opening of the cavity 11 and the drawer 21.

[0063] In some embodiments, to ensure smooth and precise alignment during the drawer 21's pulling process, and to reduce wear and tear and stuttering noises, this application also includes a sliding guide structure for the drawer 21. Specifically, guide rails are fitted to the two opposing inner sidewalls of the cavity 11 along the horizontal direction. The overall extension direction of the guide rails is consistent with the pulling and extending direction of the drawer 21, ensuring a uniform and regular guiding direction. The left and right sidewalls of the drawer 21 form a precise sliding fit with the corresponding guide rails, allowing the drawer 21 to achieve a smooth, linear pulling motion based on the guide rails on both sides. This effectively limits the drawer 21's lateral wobbling and tilting, significantly improving the smoothness and stability of the drawer 21's pulling process.

[0064] This dual-sided guide rail structure not only optimizes the user's opening and closing feel and reduces pushing and pulling resistance, but also assists in the precise alignment of drawer 21 during its insertion and insertion. Combined with the adaptive alignment function of the draft angle of the cavity 11, it further improves the coaxial alignment accuracy between the rear air nozzle 2231 and the air extraction head 411, effectively avoiding air path misalignment and leakage caused by drawer 21 offset. Simultaneously, the guide rails provide stable lateral support for drawer 21, distributing the load pressure on drawer 21, the internal sealing box 22, and the food, preventing drawer 21 deformation and jamming after long-term use. This enhances the assembly stability and service life of the entire unit, ensuring the refrigerator's long-term stable low-oxygen preservation performance.

[0065] In some embodiments, the refrigerator is equipped with a drawer 21 status detection structure to accurately determine the opening and closing status of the drawer 21, providing a precise basis for the overall oxygen reduction timing start / stop, gas path on / off control, and operating condition logic switching. Specifically, the drawer 21 status detection structure includes a magnetic control component and a sensing engagement component. The magnetic control component uses a reed switch magnetic control switch, which is fixedly installed inside the cavity 11 near the side wall or top wall of the drawer 21 receiving end. The sensing engagement component is a magnet that matches the reed switch. The magnet is embedded and fixed at a preset sensing position at the end of the drawer 21 or the side wall of the drawer 21, facing the reed switch directly, with no exposed structure, so as not to affect the normal opening and closing and sealing of the drawer 21.

[0066] The reed switch is a passive magnetically controlled sensing element, consisting of a conductive reed and a sealed glass tube. It switches between on and off signals by relying on changes in the magnetic field. It has a stable structure, long lifespan, and strong resistance to moisture and low-temperature interference, making it suitable for the low-temperature and high-humidity working environment of refrigerators. When drawer 21 is fully retracted and in the closed state, the magnet on drawer 21 moves with drawer 21 to the sensing area of ​​the reed switch. The magnetic field generated by the magnet acts on the reed inside the reed switch, causing the reed to attract and conduct, forming a closed signal in the detection circuit. Based on this, the control unit determines that drawer 21 is fully closed and cavity 11 is in a sealed state, allowing normal start or continuation of the oxygen reduction timing operation.

[0067] When the user pulls out drawer 21, and drawer 21 is in the open state, the magnet moves outward synchronously with drawer 21, gradually moving away from the reed switch's sensing range. The magnetic force disappears, the reed switch's internal spring automatically opens, the detection circuit disconnects, and a disconnect signal is output. The control unit immediately recognizes the drawer 21 opening action and executes corresponding control logic such as stopping, pausing the timer, or resetting the timer. This magnetic detection method can accurately distinguish between two working conditions: drawer 21 fully closed and drawer open. It has a rapid response and high detection accuracy, and can match the drawer 21 pulling action in real time. It provides reliable hardware detection support for pausing the timer when drawer 21 is pulled out, resetting the timer when drawer 21 is opened, and differentiating oxygen reduction logic for empty positions and sealed boxes 22, ensuring the accurate implementation and operation of the entire intelligent atmosphere control strategy.

[0068] In some embodiments, the magnetic detection structure of this application can be further reused in the structure of the sealed box 22 to detect the engagement state of the box body 222 and the cover plate 223, and to achieve independent opening and closing signal acquisition for a single sealed box 22, matching the differentiated oxygen control requirements of multiple zones. Specifically, each sealed box 22 is independently configured with a small magnetic detection component, including an auxiliary reed switch and an auxiliary magnet; wherein, the auxiliary reed switch is embedded and fixed at the side wall position of the top of the sealed box body 222, and the auxiliary magnet is correspondingly embedded and installed on the inner edge of the cover plate 223. When the cover plate 223 is engaged, the auxiliary magnet and the auxiliary reed switch are precisely aligned and within the effective sensing range. The whole adopts an embedded and hidden installation structure, which does not damage the engagement and sealing performance of the sealed box 22, does not occupy the effective space of the storage cavity 221, and does not interfere with the handling of food.

[0069] The sealing box 22's locking and unlocking detection structure uses the magnetic induction principle, ensuring stable operation and adaptability to the low-temperature, high-humidity internal environment of a refrigerator. It can accurately identify the two states of the cover 223: locked and unlocked. When the cover 223 is fully locked to the top opening of the box 222, the auxiliary magnet approaches the auxiliary reed switch, and the magnetic field drives the reed switch's internal reed to engage and conduct. The control unit receives the conduction signal and determines that the sealing box 22 is completely sealed, and the storage cavity 221 has the conditions for low-oxygen evacuation, allowing for normal evacuation and oxygen reduction, as well as timing operations. When the cover 223 is unlocked and the sealing box 22 is in the open state, the auxiliary magnet moves away from the reed switch along with the cover 223, the magnetic field disappears, the reed switch circuit is broken, and the control unit immediately determines that the sealing box 22 is open and the internal low-oxygen environment is invalid.

[0070] Based on the independent locking detection signal of the sealing box 22, the control unit can realize precise logic control of a single box: only perform oxygen reduction operation on the effective sealing box 22 with the lid 223 fully locked, and directly reset the timer and freshness parameters for the sealed box 22 with the lid open, without the need for unified temperature and gas control of the entire drawer 21 area. This perfectly adapts to the core control logic of independent freshness preservation and differentiated timer restart of this application, further improving the intelligence and accuracy of the refrigerator's zoned modified atmosphere preservation.

[0071] This application also provides a refrigerator control method applied to the refrigerator of the above-described embodiments, comprising the following steps: receiving a detection signal from an identification unit, controlling the corresponding air extraction pipe 41 to be opened via a multi-way valve 44, and controlling the vacuum pump 42 to start oxygen reduction; when the oxygen reduction time recorded by the timing unit reaches a preset time, the control unit controls the vacuum pump 42 to stop running. The refrigerator control method has been described above and will not be repeated here.

[0072] In the above embodiments of this application, the descriptions of each embodiment have their own emphasis. Parts not described in detail in a certain embodiment can be referred to in the relevant descriptions of other embodiments. The steps illustrated in the related flowcharts can be executed in a computer system such as a set of computer-executable instructions. Furthermore, although a logical order is shown in the flowcharts, in some cases, the steps shown or described may be performed in a different order than that shown here. In other words, the order of steps described in the foregoing embodiments is merely an example. Reasonable adjustments to the order of steps based on the content of the embodiments of this application are also within the protection scope of the embodiments of this application.

[0073] Although embodiments of this application have been shown and described above, it is understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and should not be construed as limiting this application. Those skilled in the art can make changes, modifications, substitutions, and variations to the above embodiments within the scope of this application. Furthermore, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments or examples described in this specification.

Claims

1. A refrigerator, characterized in that, include: The body (1) has a cavity (11) inside. The drawer assembly (2) includes a drawer (21) which is slidably fitted to the cavity (11) and can be pulled out or drawn back into the cavity (11); the drawer (21) is provided with a plurality of independent storage cavities (221), and the cavity wall of the storage cavity (221) is provided with an air hole communicating with the storage cavity (221), and a sealing member (3) is provided at the air hole; The modified atmosphere assembly (4) is assembled on the body (1) and includes a negative pressure assembly and multiple independently controlled air extraction pipes (41). One end of each of the multiple air extraction pipes (41) is connected to the negative pressure assembly, and the other end is provided with an air extraction port. The air extraction ports of the multiple air extraction pipes (41) correspond one-to-one with the air holes of the multiple storage chambers (221). When the drawer (21) is housed inside the cavity (11), each of the air holes is connected to the corresponding air extraction port; when the drawer (21) is pulled out, the air holes are separated from the air extraction ports; the sealing member (3) opens the air holes when the negative pressure assembly provides negative pressure, and closes the air holes when the negative pressure assembly stops extracting air.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drawer assembly (2) includes multiple sealing boxes (22); the drawer (21) forms a storage cavity (212) inside, the storage cavity (212) is divided into multiple placement positions, the multiple sealing boxes (22) are placed in the storage cavity (212), and one sealing box (22) corresponds to one placement position; each sealing box (22) forms a storage cavity (221) inside, and the air hole is opened on the top of the sealing box (22).

3. The refrigerator according to claim 2, characterized in that, The exhaust pipe (41) has an exhaust head (411) at one end away from the negative pressure component, and the exhaust port is opened on the exhaust head (411); the top of the sealing box (22) is provided with an air nozzle (2231), and the air hole is opened on the air nozzle (2231); the axis of the exhaust head (411) is parallel to the axis of the air nozzle (2231), and when the drawer (21) is housed inside the cavity (11), the axes of the exhaust head (411) and the air nozzle (2231) are aligned and connected.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 3, characterized in that, The closure (3) includes a support frame (31) disposed inside the air nozzle (2231) and a silicone valve (32). The support frame (31) is connected to the air nozzle (2231), and the silicone valve (32) is movably mounted on the support frame (31) along the axial direction of the air nozzle (2231). When the negative pressure component generates negative pressure, the silicone valve (32) moves along the axial direction of the air nozzle (2231) towards the side closer to the suction head (411) to open the air hole. When the negative pressure component stops suctioning, the silicone valve (32) resets and seals the air hole.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 2, characterized in that, The negative pressure assembly includes a vacuum pump (42), a nitrogen-oxygen separation membrane (43), and a multi-way valve (44). The ends of the multiple extraction pipes (41) away from the extraction port are respectively connected to the inlets of the multi-way valve (44). The outlet of the multi-way valve (44) is connected to the vacuum pump (42) through the nitrogen-oxygen separation membrane (43). The multi-way valve (44) is used to individually control the opening and closing of any one or more extraction pipes (41).

6. The refrigerator according to claim 5, characterized in that, The refrigerator also includes an identification unit, a timing unit, and a control unit; the control unit is electrically connected to the identification unit, the timing unit, the vacuum pump (42), and the multi-way valve (44), respectively; The identification unit is installed inside the cavity (11) and is used to detect whether the sealing box (22) is placed in each of the placement positions. The timing unit is used to record the duration of the oxygen reduction operation; The control unit receives the detection signal from the identification unit, controls the corresponding air extraction pipe (41) to be opened via the multi-way valve (44), and controls the vacuum pump (42) to start oxygen reduction. When the oxygen reduction time recorded by the timing unit reaches the preset time, the control unit controls the vacuum pump (42) to stop running.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 6, characterized in that, The identification unit is also used to identify the type of items stored inside each of the sealed boxes (22); the control unit adjusts the oxygen concentration inside the corresponding sealed box (22) to a preset concentration range that matches the item according to the identified item type; The control unit controls the multi-way valve (44) to open the corresponding air extraction pipe (41) and controls the negative pressure assembly to start in order to reduce oxygen in the target sealing box (22); When the oxygen reduction time corresponding to a single sealed box (22) reaches the preset time corresponding to the item, the control unit controls the multi-way valve (44) to close the exhaust pipe (41); after all the sealed boxes (22) containing items have completed oxygen reduction, the control unit controls the negative pressure component to stop operating. If the drawer (21) is pulled out during the oxygen reduction operation and the sealing box (22) is not opened, the control unit controls the negative pressure component to stop and the timing unit pauses the timing; after the drawer (21) is returned to the cavity (11), the negative pressure component restarts and the timing unit continues the timing from the previous duration. If the drawer (21) is pulled out during the oxygen reduction operation and the corresponding sealing box (22) is opened, the control unit controls the negative pressure component to stop, and the timing unit is reset to zero and stops timing; after the drawer (21) is returned to the cavity (11), the negative pressure component restarts, and the timing unit is reset to zero and starts timing again.

8. The refrigerator according to claim 6, characterized in that, When the identification unit detects that there is a place where no sealed box (22) is placed, the control unit controls the multi-way valve (44) to open the evacuation pipe (41) corresponding to the empty place and controls the vacuum pump (42) to start to evacuate the area of ​​the empty place to reduce oxygen; the timing unit is used to record the oxygen reduction time. When the oxygen reduction time reaches the preset time, the control unit controls the vacuum pump (42) to turn off; if the drawer (21) is pulled out during the oxygen reduction process, the timing unit is reset to zero and the timing starts again.

9. The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The refrigerator also includes a sealing gasket (5); the sealing gasket (5) is disposed at the open end of the cavity (11), and the drawer (21) is provided with an end plate (211) at the end away from the insertion direction, and the edge of the end plate (211) extends outward beyond the side wall of the drawer (21); when the drawer (21) is received inside the cavity (11), the end plate (211) and the sealing gasket (5) are tightly fitted together.

10. The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cavity (11) has guide rails on its two opposite side walls along the horizontal direction. The extension direction of the guide rails is consistent with the pull-out direction of the drawer (21). The two sides of the drawer (21) are respectively slidably engaged with the corresponding guide rails.

11. The refrigerator according to claim 2, characterized in that, The sealed box (22) includes a box body (222) and a cover plate (223); the top of the box body (222) is open, and the cover plate (223) is fastened to seal the top opening of the box body (222), and the air hole is opened on the cover plate (223).

12. A method for controlling a refrigerator, applied to the refrigerator according to any one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Upon receiving the detection signal from the identification unit, the corresponding extraction pipe (41) is controlled to be opened via the multi-way valve (44), and the vacuum pump (42) is controlled to start and begin oxygen reduction. When the oxygen reduction time recorded by the timing unit reaches the preset time, the control unit controls the vacuum pump (42) to stop running.

Images