Refrigerator and fault detection circuit thereof

Abstract

The application is suitable for the refrigeration technical field, and provides a refrigerator and a fault detection circuit thereof.The fault detection circuit comprises a switch module, a collection module and a control module; the switch module is connected with a power supply, and forms a heating circuit with the power supply, the collection module and a heating wire; the control module controls the switch module to be turned on to make the heating circuit work, and collects the on-off state signal of the heating circuit through the collection module to obtain the working state of the heating equipment and display; through the cooperative work of the control module and the collection module, the state of each heating circuit can be monitored in real time, the automatic identification and prompt display of the fault of the refrigerator heating equipment are realized; compared with the traditional manual troubleshooting mode, the fault positioning efficiency and the maintenance convenience are greatly improved, the maintenance cost is reduced, and the reliability and safety of the refrigerator operation are enhanced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of refrigeration technology, and in particular to a refrigerator and its fault detection circuit. Background Technology

[0002] Refrigerators, as essential refrigeration equipment commonly found in homes and businesses, typically contain multiple functional components, such as dampers, evaporators, and vertical shelves. Most existing refrigerators lack the ability to automatically detect and locate faults in these components. When problems arise, such as a stuck damper, a frozen drain, or abnormal refrigeration or freezing, repair personnel often need to check multiple related components and heating circuits one by one to pinpoint the specific fault. This traditional manual troubleshooting method is not only time-consuming and labor-intensive but also severely impacts troubleshooting efficiency and ease of repair. Utility Model Content

[0003] This application provides a refrigerator and its fault detection circuit to solve the problem that when a refrigerator in the prior art has abnormal problems, the manual troubleshooting method is not only time-consuming and laborious, but also seriously affects the efficiency of fault diagnosis and the convenience of maintenance.

[0004] In a first aspect, a fault detection circuit for a refrigerator is provided, comprising a switch module, a data acquisition module, a control module, and a heating wire, wherein the heating wire is distributed around the device to be heated;

[0005] The switching module is connected to a power source and forms a heating circuit with the power source, the acquisition module, and the heating wire.

[0006] The control module is connected to the switch module and the acquisition module respectively. It is used to control the switch module to turn on so that the heating circuit can work, and to acquire the on / off status signal of the heating circuit through the acquisition module so as to obtain the working status of the device to be heated and display it.

[0007] This embodiment, through the coordinated operation of the control module and the acquisition module, can monitor the status of each heating circuit in real time, realize the automatic identification and prompt display of faults in the refrigerator's heating equipment; compared with the traditional manual troubleshooting method, it greatly improves the efficiency of fault location and the convenience of maintenance, reduces maintenance costs, and enhances the reliability and safety of refrigerator operation.

[0008] In some embodiments, the device to be heated is a damper. When the control module detects a disconnection signal while controlling the heating circuit of the damper, it determines that the damper and its heating circuit have malfunctioned and displays the result.

[0009] This embodiment uses a control module to control the damper heating circuit and a data acquisition module to monitor the on / off status of the heating circuit in real time. This allows for timely detection of any abnormalities in the damper and its heating circuit during the heating process. Once an off-state signal is detected, the fault location can be quickly identified and displayed, effectively improving the accuracy and response speed of refrigerator fault diagnosis, reducing maintenance difficulty and time costs, and enhancing the stability of equipment operation and user safety.

[0010] In some embodiments, the device to be heated is a vertical partition. When the control module controls the heating circuit of the vertical partition to work and collects a disconnection status signal, it determines that the vertical partition and its heating circuit have malfunctioned and displays the result.

[0011] This embodiment can detect the working status of the heating circuit in real time during the heating process of the vertical partition. When the circuit is found to be not conducting properly, it is automatically identified as a fault in the vertical partition and its heating circuit, and a prompt is displayed. This method realizes rapid location and alarm of faults in the vertical partition area, effectively improves the efficiency of refrigerator fault diagnosis, reduces the difficulty of manual inspection, and ensures the long-term stable operation of the refrigerator.

[0012] In some embodiments, the device to be heated is an evaporator. When the control module detects a disconnection signal while controlling the heating circuit of the evaporator, it determines that the evaporator and its heating circuit have malfunctioned and displays the result.

[0013] In this embodiment, during the evaporator heating process, the on / off status of the heating circuit is monitored in real time by a data acquisition module. If the heating circuit is detected to be not conducting properly, the control module can immediately determine that the evaporator and its heating circuit have malfunctioned and display a prompt. This solution enables rapid location and automatic alarm for evaporator area faults, improves the intelligence level of refrigerator fault diagnosis, reduces manual troubleshooting time, and ensures the normal defrosting function of the evaporator and the overall operational stability of the refrigerator.

[0014] In some embodiments, the acquisition module is a voltage acquisition module, and the control module acquires voltage signals through the voltage acquisition module to detect the working status of the heating wire.

[0015] This embodiment, by incorporating a voltage acquisition module and having the control module acquire its voltage value in real time, can accurately determine whether the heating wire is in a conductive state. This solves the problem of not being able to confirm the actual working status of the heating wire in traditional open-loop control, significantly improving the system's reliability and fault detection efficiency. Furthermore, the circuit structure is simple and inexpensive, making it suitable for widespread application in products such as refrigerators.

[0016] In some embodiments, the voltage acquisition module is a sampling resistor, one end of which is connected to one end of the heating wire and the control module, the other end of which is grounded, and the other end of the heating wire is connected to one end of the switching module.

[0017] This embodiment, by connecting a sampling resistor in series in the heating wire circuit and connecting the sampling resistor to the control module, can collect the voltage signal in the heating circuit in real time, thereby accurately determining whether the heating wire is in a normal conducting state. This solves the problem that traditional heating control cannot provide feedback on the working status, realizes low-cost and simple closed-loop control, and significantly improves the reliability and fault detection efficiency of the heating system.

[0018] In some embodiments, the fault detection circuit further includes a pull-down resistor, one end of which is connected to one end of the switching module and the other end of the heating wire, and the other end of the pull-down resistor and the other end of the sampling resistor are connected to ground.

[0019] The pull-down resistor is used to ensure that the voltage value collected by the sampling resistor is zero when the switching module is disconnected.

[0020] This embodiment uses a pull-down resistor to clear the floating voltage when the circuit is disconnected, avoiding misjudgment that the heating circuit is still conducting, and improving the reliability and accuracy of fault diagnosis.

[0021] In some embodiments, the acquisition module is a current acquisition module, and the control module acquires the current signal in the heating circuit through the current acquisition module to detect the working status of the heating wire.

[0022] This embodiment, by setting up a current acquisition module and having the control module acquire the current value in the heating circuit in real time, can accurately determine whether the heating wire is in a normal conducting state, avoiding the problem that traditional control methods cannot provide feedback on the true working state, realizing closed-loop control, and significantly improving the reliability, safety and intelligence level of the heating control system.

[0023] In some embodiments, the switching module includes a first switching unit, a current-limiting resistor, a voltage-dividing resistor, and a second switching unit. The control terminal of the first switching unit is connected to the control module. One end of the first switching unit is connected to one end of the current-limiting resistor. The other end of the first switching unit is grounded. The other end of the current-limiting resistor is connected to one end of the voltage-dividing resistor and the control terminal of the second switching unit. The other end of the voltage-dividing resistor and one end of the second switching unit are connected together to a power supply. The other end of the second switching unit is the other end of the switching module.

[0024] This embodiment achieves reliable on / off control of the heating circuit through a cascaded control structure of the first and second switching units. By driving the first switching unit to conduct through the control module, the gate-source voltage of the second switching unit is indirectly adjusted to ensure accurate on / off operation. This not only achieves effective control of the heating wire, but also improves the stability and safety of the control circuit through the cooperation of the current-limiting resistor and the voltage-dividing resistor, preventing excessive current or false triggering of the control signal, and improving the overall reliability and anti-interference capability of the fault detection circuit.

[0025] In a second aspect, a refrigerator is provided, the refrigerator including the fault detection circuit described in the first aspect and the heating device.

[0026] It is understandable that the beneficial effects of the second aspect mentioned above can be found in the relevant descriptions in the first aspect mentioned above, and will not be repeated here. Attached Figure Description

[0027] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments of this utility model will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0028] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the first structure of a fault detection circuit in Embodiment 1 of this utility model;

[0029] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the second structure of a fault detection circuit in Embodiment 1 of this utility model;

[0030] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the third structure of a fault detection circuit in Embodiment 1 of this utility model;

[0031] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the fourth structure of a fault detection circuit in Embodiment 1 of this utility model;

[0032] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the fifth structure of a fault detection circuit in Embodiment 1 of this utility model;

[0033] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the sixth structure of a fault detection circuit in Embodiment 1 of this utility model;

[0034] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the seventh structure of a fault detection circuit in Embodiment 1 of this utility model;

[0035] Figure 8This is a schematic diagram of the eighth structure of a fault detection circuit in Embodiment 1 of this utility model;

[0036] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a switching module in a fault detection circuit according to Embodiment 1 of this utility model;

[0037] Figure 10 This is a circuit diagram of a fault detection circuit according to Embodiment 1 of this utility model;

[0038] Figure 11 This is a first current flow diagram of a fault detection circuit in Embodiment 1 of this utility model;

[0039] Figure 12 This is a second current flow diagram of a fault detection circuit in Embodiment 1 of this utility model;

[0040] In the diagram: 101, Control module; 102, Switch module; 103, Acquisition module; 104, Heating wire; 105, Pull-down resistor; 121, First switch unit; 122, Current-limiting resistor; 123, Voltage divider resistor; 124, Second switch unit; 131, Voltage acquisition module; 132, Sampling resistor; 133, Current acquisition module; 200, Equipment to be heated; 201, Damper; 202, Vertical partition; 203, Evaporator. Detailed Implementation

[0041] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present utility model, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present utility model.

[0042] It should be understood that, when used in this specification and appended claims, unless otherwise stated, the term " / " means "or," for example, A / B can mean A or B; "and / or" in this document is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist, for example, A and / or B can represent: A alone, A and B simultaneously, and B alone. Furthermore, in the description of the embodiments in this application, "multiple" refers to two or more.

[0043] In the description of this utility model specification and the appended claims, the term "comprising" indicates the presence of a described feature, integral, step, operation, element, and / or component, but does not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integrals, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or collections thereof. It should also be understood that the term "and / or" as used in this utility model specification and the appended claims refers to any combination of one or more of the associated listed items and all possible combinations, and includes such combinations.

[0044] Furthermore, in the description of this utility model specification and the appended claims, the terms "first," "second," "third," etc., are used only for distinguishing descriptions and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0045] References to "one embodiment" or "some embodiments" in this specification mean that one or more embodiments of the present invention include a specific feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment. Therefore, the phrases "in one embodiment," "in some embodiments," "in other embodiments," "in still other embodiments," etc., appearing in different parts of this specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, but rather mean "one or more, but not all, embodiments," unless otherwise specifically emphasized. The terms "comprising," "including," "having," and variations thereof mean "including but not limited to," unless otherwise specifically emphasized.

[0046] It should be understood that the sequence number of each step in the following embodiments does not imply the order of execution. The execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of this utility model embodiment.

[0047] To facilitate a further understanding of the technical solutions in some embodiments of this application, the technical solution of the refrigerator fault detection circuit and how this technical solution solves the above-mentioned technical problems are described in detail below with reference to some specific embodiments and accompanying drawings. The embodiments can be combined with each other, and the same or similar concepts or processes may not be described again in some embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments.

[0048] In this embodiment, the heating circuit in the fault detection circuit can be widely applied to multiple critical parts in a refrigerator that require heating and antifreeze. Therefore, this heating circuit can be used to perform fault detection on the equipment to be heated. Depending on the structural design and functional requirements of different refrigerator models, the heating wire can be positioned as follows:

[0049] 1. Air damper area: Heating wires can be installed around the air damper between the refrigerator compartment and the freezer compartment to prevent the air damper from getting stuck due to icing during refrigeration operation, thereby ensuring unobstructed airflow and reliable temperature regulation.

[0050] 2. Vertical shelf area: In refrigerators with independent temperature zones (such as three-door or multi-door structures), the vertical shelves are an important structure for air passage. They are prone to condensation and freezing due to temperature differences. Placing heating wires around the vertical shelves can effectively prevent ice formation in this area and avoid air duct blockage or functional failure.

[0051] 3. Evaporator drain area: The condensate produced during the defrosting process of the evaporator needs to be drained out of the refrigerator through the drain outlet; if ice forms and blocks the drain outlet, water will flow back into the refrigerator compartment, affecting the food preservation environment.

[0052] This embodiment provides a fault detection circuit, such as Figure 1 As shown, the device includes a switch module 102, a data acquisition module 103, a control module 101, and a heating wire 104, which are distributed around the device to be heated 200. The switch module 102 is connected to a power supply V1 and forms a heating circuit with the power supply V1, the data acquisition module 103, and the heating wire 104. The control module 101 is connected to the switch module 102 and the data acquisition module 103, respectively, and is used to control the switch module 102 to turn on so that the heating circuit can work, and to acquire the on / off status signal of the heating circuit through the data acquisition module 103 to obtain and display the working status of the device to be heated 200.

[0053] The switching module 102 is connected to the power supply V1 and its function is to turn on or off upon receiving a control signal, thereby controlling the on / off state of the heating circuit. Optionally, the switching module 102 may include electronic switching devices such as transistors, MOSFETs, or relays. In the on state, the switching module 102 connects the power supply V1, the acquisition module 103, and the heating wire 104, forming a complete heating current path. The acquisition module 103 is connected in series in the heating circuit and can perform current or voltage acquisition to detect the current or voltage signal in the heating circuit. The output of the acquisition module 103 is connected to the control module 101 to provide a feedback electrical signal indicating whether the heating wire 104 is actually conducting. The control module 101 is the main control unit (such as an MCU). On the one hand, it outputs a control signal to the switching module 102 to control the on / off state of the heating wire 104; on the other hand, it receives the feedback electrical signal from the acquisition module 103 to determine whether the heating wire 104 is in a normal working state, and based on the acquired data, it determines whether the device 200 to be heated is working normally; and sends the device's working status information to the display module or alarm module. Heating wires 104 are distributed around the equipment to be heated 200 (such as dampers, vertical partitions, evaporators, etc.). When powered on, they generate heat to prevent freezing or frost formation and ensure the normal operation of the refrigerator.

[0054] The working process of this embodiment is as follows:

[0055] (1) Start heating process: The control module 101 outputs a conduction signal to the switch module 102, which turns on the switch module 102. The power supply is supplied to the heating wire 104 through the acquisition module 103, the heating circuit is closed, and the heating wire 104 starts to work.

[0056] (2) Sampling feedback process: After the heating circuit is turned on, the acquisition module 103 collects the on / off status signal of the heating circuit in real time (such as whether the voltage reaches the set value, whether the current flows normally, etc.) and feeds back the acquisition results to the control module 101.

[0057] (3) Status judgment process: The control module 101 determines whether the heating wire 104 is working normally based on the amplitude or duration of the sampled electrical signal. For example, if the sampled voltage reaches the set threshold and continues for a period of time, the control module 101 can confirm that the heating wire 104 is indeed powered on and working.

[0058] (4) Fault identification and display process: The control module 101 judges whether each heating wire 104 area is working normally based on the collected data: if a certain area has no heating current / voltage abnormality for a long time, it is determined that the area is faulty; the fault information is located to the specific heating equipment, such as "air damper heating abnormality", "drain outlet heating fault", etc.; finally, the display module outputs prompts to enable maintenance personnel to quickly locate the source of the fault.

[0059] The technical advantages of this embodiment are as follows: Through the coordinated operation of the control module 101 and the acquisition module 103, this technical solution can monitor the status of each heating circuit in real time, realize the automatic identification and prompt display of faults in the refrigerator's heating equipment; compared with the traditional manual troubleshooting method, it greatly improves the efficiency of fault location and the convenience of maintenance, reduces maintenance costs, and enhances the reliability and safety of the refrigerator's operation.

[0060] As one implementation method, such as Figure 2 As shown, the device to be heated 200 is the damper 201. When the control module 101 controls the heating circuit of the damper 201 to work, and collects the disconnection status signal, it determines that the faulty device of the refrigerator is the damper 201 and its heating circuit, and displays it.

[0061] The device to be heated 200 is the damper 201, with heating wire 104 installed around it to prevent the damper 201 from freezing and failing to open and close properly in low-temperature environments. The damper 201 is an airflow regulating mechanism between the refrigerator and freezer compartments, primarily controlling the flow of cold air between different temperature zones. Because the damper 201 is often located in areas with significant temperature differences and where moisture easily condenses, it is prone to frost and ice buildup, leading to jamming or malfunction and affecting the normal operation of the refrigerator. To address this issue, in this embodiment, heating wire 104 is positioned around the damper 201. During refrigerator operation, when the system detects that the temperature in the damper 201 area is below a critical value or shows a tendency to frost, the control module 101 activates the heating wire 104 to heat it, preventing the damper 201 from freezing through localized heating and ensuring smooth opening and closing. During the heating process, the acquisition module 103 detects the status of the heating circuit, determining whether the circuit is truly closed and operational. If the signal collected at this time is an open state signal, it means that the heating circuit has not been turned on as expected (possibly due to a broken heating wire 104, a damaged switch module 102, a power supply problem, or other faults), and the heating function has failed to perform normally. Therefore, the control module 101 will determine that a fault has occurred in the damper 201 area, and the cause of the fault may be from the damper 201 itself or its heating circuit. Then, it will output this fault information to the display module to prompt the user that "damper 201 and its heating circuit are faulty".

[0062] The technical advantages of this embodiment are as follows: by controlling the heating circuit of the damper 201 through the control module 101 and monitoring the on / off status of the heating circuit in real time through the acquisition module 103, it is possible to determine in a timely manner whether there is any abnormality in the damper 201 and its heating circuit during the heating process; once a disconnection signal is detected, the fault location can be quickly located and a prompt can be displayed, which effectively improves the accuracy and response speed of refrigerator fault diagnosis, reduces maintenance difficulty and time cost, and enhances the stability of equipment operation and the safety of user use.

[0063] As one implementation method, such as Figure 3 As shown, the device to be heated 200 is a vertical partition 202. When the control module 101 controls the heating circuit of the vertical partition 202 to work, and collects a disconnection status signal, it determines that the vertical partition 202 and its heating circuit have malfunctioned and displays the result.

[0064] The part to be heated is the vertical shelf 202 of the refrigerator. The vertical shelf 202 is a partition structure between the refrigerator compartment, freezer compartment, or variable temperature compartment, and usually contains an internal air circulation channel (air duct) to guide the flow of cold air between different temperature zones. Due to the large temperature difference in its location and frequent airflow convergence, condensation easily forms on its surface or in the internal air duct, leading to frost or ice formation. To prevent this problem, in this embodiment, heating wires 104 are arranged around the vertical shelf 202. Under system control, they are energized and heated in a timely manner to effectively increase the local temperature, prevent condensation from freezing, and thus avoid air duct blockage or poor airflow, ensuring smooth cold air circulation and accurate temperature control within the refrigerator. When the control module 101 issues a command to start the heating circuit of the vertical shelf 202, the on / off status of the heating circuit is monitored simultaneously by the acquisition module 103. If the acquisition module 103 detects an off-state signal, it indicates that the heating circuit is not actually conducting, suggesting problems such as an open circuit in the heating wire 104, controller failure, or abnormal power supply. At this time, the control module 101 will determine that the fault occurs in the vertical partition 202 and its corresponding heating circuit, and output the fault information through the display module to prompt maintenance personnel to troubleshoot.

[0065] The technical advantages of this embodiment are as follows: This technical solution can detect the working status of the heating circuit in real time during the heating process of the vertical partition 202. When it is found that the circuit is not conducting normally, it is automatically identified as a fault in the vertical partition 202 and its heating circuit, and a display prompt is given. This method realizes the rapid location and alarm of faults in the vertical partition area, effectively improves the efficiency of refrigerator fault diagnosis, reduces the difficulty of manual inspection, and ensures the long-term stable operation of the refrigerator.

[0066] As one implementation method, such as Figure 4 As shown, the device to be heated 200 is an evaporator 203. When the control module 101 controls the heating circuit of the evaporator 203 to work, and collects a disconnection status signal, it determines that the evaporator 203 and its heating circuit have malfunctioned and displays the result.

[0067] In this embodiment, the device to be heated 200 is the evaporator 203, typically referring to the refrigeration component in a refrigerator. During the refrigerator's refrigeration operation, frost forms on the surface of the evaporator 203 due to condensation of water vapor in the air. This frost melts into condensate during automatic defrosting and is discharged from the refrigerator system through the drain outlet. However, when the temperature near the drain outlet is too low, the condensate can easily refreeze, causing blockage and leading to problems such as water backflow, water accumulation, and even odors, severely impacting the user experience and hygiene of the refrigerator. To address these issues, this embodiment utilizes a heating circuit, with heating wires 104 positioned around the drain outlet of the evaporator 203. During defrosting or low-temperature operation, this area is heated to ensure smooth drainage of condensate. When the control module 101 activates the heating circuit of the evaporator 203, the heating wires 104 are activated to heat the drain outlet of the evaporator 203. At this time, the data acquisition module 103 detects whether the heating circuit is properly powered. If the acquired signal is an open state, it indicates that the heating circuit is not actually conducting, which may be due to a burnt-out heating wire 104, a malfunctioning switch, or a circuit abnormality. Therefore, the control module 101 will determine that there is a fault in the evaporator 203 and its heating circuit, and will display this fault information through the display module so that maintenance personnel can identify and handle it promptly.

[0068] The technical advantages of this implementation are as follows: During the heating process of the evaporator 203, the acquisition module 103 monitors the on / off status of the heating circuit in real time. If the heating circuit is not properly connected, the control module 101 can immediately determine that the evaporator 203 and its heating circuit have malfunctioned and display a prompt. This solution achieves rapid location and automatic alarm for evaporator area faults, improves the intelligence level of refrigerator fault diagnosis, reduces manual troubleshooting time, and ensures the normal defrosting function of the evaporator 203 and the overall operational stability of the refrigerator.

[0069] As one implementation method, such as Figure 5 As shown, the acquisition module 103 is a voltage acquisition module 131. The control module 101 acquires voltage values ​​through the voltage acquisition module 131 to detect the working status of the heating wire 104.

[0070] The voltage acquisition module 131 is connected in series in the heating circuit. Optionally, the voltage acquisition module 131 is a sampling resistor (such as a low-resistance resistor), and its two ends are connected to the voltage sampling input terminal of the control module 101. When the control module 101 controls the switch module 102 to conduct, so that the heating wire 104 is powered on and starts working, a working current will be generated in the circuit and flow through the sampling resistor, forming a corresponding voltage signal across its two ends. The control module 101 (e.g., MCU) acquires this voltage signal in real time through its internal ADC (analog-to-digital converter) interface to determine whether the heating wire 104 is in the conducting state. By acquiring and analyzing the voltage value, the control module 101 can perform the following functions:

[0071] 1. Determine if heating wire 104 is truly conducting: If the voltage sampling value is zero or abnormally low, it can be determined that heating wire 104 is not conducting or has a fault (such as an open circuit); if the voltage value is stable within the expected range, it indicates that heating wire 104 is working normally.

[0072] 2. Monitoring heating duration: The control module 101 can record the duration for which the voltage is maintained within the normal range, thereby accurately controlling the heating cycle and avoiding overheating or underheating.

[0073] 3. Achieve feedback closed-loop control: By combining control signals and voltage feedback signals, the system achieves closed-loop control logic, improving the intelligence and reliability of heating control.

[0074] The technical advantages of this embodiment are as follows: By setting up a voltage acquisition module 131 and having the control module 101 acquire its voltage value in real time, it is possible to accurately determine whether the heating wire 104 is in a conducting state. This solves the problem that the actual working state of the heating wire 104 cannot be confirmed in traditional open-loop control, significantly improving the system's reliability and fault detection efficiency. At the same time, the circuit structure is simple and inexpensive, making it suitable for widespread application in products such as refrigerators.

[0075] As one implementation method, such as Figure 6 As shown, the voltage acquisition module 131 is a sampling resistor 132. One end of the sampling resistor 132 is connected to one end of the heating wire 104 and the control module 101 respectively. The other end of the sampling resistor 132 is grounded, and the other end of the heating wire 104 is connected to one end of the switch module 102.

[0076] The voltage acquisition module 131 includes a sampling resistor 132 used to detect the operating status of the heating wire 104. The sampling resistor 132 is connected in series between the heating wire 104 and ground, forming a current detection node in the circuit. When the heating wire 104 is operating, current flows from the power supply through the switching module 102 into the heating wire 104, then through the sampling resistor 132 to ground, thus creating a voltage drop across the sampling resistor 132. This voltage signal is acquired in real time by the control module 101 to determine whether the heating wire 104 is conducting.

[0077] The technical advantage of this embodiment is that by connecting the sampling resistor 132 in series in the heating wire 104 circuit and connecting the sampling resistor 132 to the control module 101, the voltage signal in the heating circuit can be collected in real time, thereby accurately determining whether the heating wire 104 is in a normal conducting state. This solves the problem that traditional heating control cannot provide feedback on the working status, realizes low-cost and simple closed-loop control, and significantly improves the reliability and fault detection efficiency of the heating system.

[0078] As one implementation method, such as Figure 7 As shown, the fault detection circuit also includes a pull-down resistor 105. One end of the pull-down resistor 105 is connected to one end of the switch module 102 and the other end of the heating wire 104, and the other end of the pull-down resistor 105 and the other end of the sampling resistor 132 are connected to ground. The pull-down resistor 105 is used to make the voltage value collected by the sampling resistor 132 zero when the switch module 102 is turned off.

[0079] In this embodiment, the fault detection circuit further includes a pull-down resistor 105 to enhance the voltage stability and signal detection accuracy of the entire heating control loop. When the heating wire 104 is operating normally, the power supply voltage is applied to the heating wire 104 via the switching module 102 and grounded through the sampling resistor 132, forming a closed circuit. The pull-down resistor 105 acts as a parallel element in this process, forming a shunt branch from the other end of the heating wire 104 to ground. When the switching module 102 is in the off state (i.e., the heating circuit is not conducting), without the pull-down resistor 105, the sampling resistor 132 may generate an uncertain voltage due to parasitic voltages, floating nodes, or electromagnetic interference in the circuit, causing the acquisition module 103 to detect an incorrect on / off state signal. By setting the pull-down resistor 105, with one end connected to the node between the switching module 102 and the heating wire 104 and the other end grounded, the potential of this node can be stably pulled to 0V when the switch is off, ensuring no voltage across the sampling resistor 132 and guaranteeing that the voltage value acquired by the sampling resistor 132 is accurately zero.

[0080] The technical advantage of this embodiment is that by setting a pull-down resistor 105, the floating voltage is cleared when the circuit is disconnected, avoiding misjudgment that the heating circuit is still in a conducting state, and improving the reliability and accuracy of fault diagnosis.

[0081] As one implementation method, such as Figure 8 As shown, the acquisition module 103 is a current acquisition module 133. The control module 101 acquires the current value in the heating circuit through the current acquisition module 133 to detect the working status of the heating wire 104.

[0082] In this embodiment, the acquisition module 103 is a current acquisition module 133, used to detect the operating current in the heating circuit in real time to determine the operating status of the heating wire 104. The current acquisition module 133 can be constructed using a current detection chip, a Hall current sensor, a shunt resistor combined with an amplifier, a sampling operational amplifier circuit, etc., and is installed in a suitable position in the heating wire 104 circuit, preferably connected in series in the circuit of the heating wire 104 or the switching module 102. When the control module 101 controls the switching module 102 to conduct, the heating wire 104 is powered on and begins to work, generating a stable operating current in the circuit. The current acquisition module 133 detects this current value in real time and feeds it back to the control module 101. The control module 101 determines the following states based on the current magnitude, trend, and duration: whether the heating wire 104 is conducting normally; whether the heating has reached the set time; and whether there is any current abnormality (such as overcurrent or open circuit).

[0083] The technical effect of this embodiment is that by setting a current acquisition module 133 and having the control module 101 acquire the current value in the heating circuit in real time, it is possible to accurately determine whether the heating wire 104 is in a normal conducting state, avoiding the problem that the traditional control method cannot provide feedback on the real working state, realizing closed-loop control, and significantly improving the reliability, safety and intelligence level of the heating control system.

[0084] In one embodiment, the switch module 102 includes a first switch unit 121, a current-limiting resistor 122, a voltage-dividing resistor 123, and a second switch unit 124. The control terminal of the first switch unit 121 is connected to the control module 101. One end of the first switch unit 121 is connected to one end of the current-limiting resistor 122, and the other end of the first switch unit 121 is grounded. The other end of the current-limiting resistor 122 is connected to one end of the voltage-dividing resistor 123 and the control terminal of the second switch unit 124, respectively. The other end of the voltage-dividing resistor 123 and one end of the second switch unit 124 are connected together and then connected to the power supply. The other end of the second switch unit 124 is the other end of the switch module 102.

[0085] The first switching unit 121 is preferably an NPN transistor, with its control terminal (base) connected to the output pin of the control module 101 to receive control signals. One end (collector) of the first switching unit 121 is connected to one end of the current-limiting resistor 122, and the other end (emitter) is grounded. When the control module 101 outputs a high-level signal, the first switching unit 121 is turned on, allowing current in the current-limiting resistor 122 to flow to ground, forming a control loop. The current-limiting resistor 122 is used to limit the current in the control branch, protecting the circuit's safe operation. One end of the resistor is connected to the collector of the first switching unit 121, and the other end is connected to one end of the voltage divider resistor 123 and the control terminal (gate) of the second switching unit 124 (e.g., a P-type MOS transistor). The voltage divider resistor 123 and the current-limiting resistor 122 together form a voltage divider network, with its other end connected to the source of the second switching unit 124 and connected to the power supply V1. This voltage divider structure is used to generate an appropriate gate-source voltage, enabling the second switching unit 124 to reliably turn on or off. The control terminal (gate) of the second switching unit 124 receives a voltage divider signal; one end (source) is connected to the power supply, and the other end (drain) is connected to the heating wire 104 as the output terminal of the switching module 102. By controlling whether the first switching unit 121 is turned on or off, the voltage control of the second switching unit 124 is indirectly realized, thereby controlling its conduction state and realizing the on / off control of the heating wire 104 circuit.

[0086] The technical advantages of this embodiment are as follows: Reliable on / off control of the heating circuit is achieved through the cascaded control structure of the first switching unit 121 and the second switching unit 124; the control module drives the first switching unit 121 to conduct, indirectly adjusting the gate-source voltage of the second switching unit 124 to ensure accurate on / off operation; not only is effective control of the heating wire achieved, but also the stability and safety of the control circuit are improved through the cooperation of the current-limiting resistor and the voltage-dividing resistor, preventing excessive current or false triggering of the control signal, and improving the overall reliability and anti-interference capability of the fault detection circuit.

[0087] The following is a detailed description of this embodiment through its specific circuit structure:

[0088] like Figure 10As shown, the first switching unit 121 includes resistors R5 and R6, and transistor Q1. Current-limiting resistor 122 is resistor R1, and voltage-dividing resistor 123 is resistor R2. The second switching unit 124 is MOSFET Q2, pull-down resistor 105 is resistor R3, and sampling resistor 132 is resistor R4. The output terminal of the MCU is connected to one end of resistor R5. The other end of resistor R5 is connected to the base of transistor Q1 and one end of resistor R6. The other end of resistor R6 and the emitter of transistor Q1 are both grounded. The collector of transistor Q1 is connected to… One end of resistor R1 is connected to one end of resistor R2 and the gate of MOSFET Q2. The source of MOSFET Q2 and the other end of resistor R2 are connected together to a 12V power supply. The drain of MOSFET Q2 is connected to one end of resistor R3 and pin 1 of interface CN1. Pin 1 of interface CN1 is also connected to one end of heating wire H1. The other end of heating wire H1 is connected to one end of resistor R4 and the MCU's acquisition terminal through pin 2 of interface CN1. The other end of resistor R4 and the other end of resistor R3 are connected together to ground.

[0089] The working process of this circuit structure is as follows:

[0090] (1) As Figure 11 As shown, when heating wire H1 is not working, the MCU outputs a low-level signal to transistor Q1. Transistor Q1 does not meet the emitter conduction requirement and is in a non-working state. At this time, the source-gate voltage of MOSFET Q2 does not meet the turn-on threshold voltage and is in a non-working state. The voltage across resistor R3, i.e., pin 1 of interface CN1, has no +12V voltage, making the feedback signal received by the MCU 0.

[0091] (2) Figure 12 As shown, when heating wire H1 is working, the MCU outputs a high-level signal to transistor Q1, and transistor Q1 satisfies the emitter conduction condition, thus being in the working state. From the voltage divider of 12V by resistors R1 and R2, it can be seen that the source-gate voltage of MOSFET Q2 meets the turn-on threshold voltage, and MOSFET Q2 is turned on. The voltage across resistor R3, i.e., pin 1 of CN1, outputs a +12V voltage, causing heating wire H1 to work. Since the heating wire H1 is a 12V / 3W device, its on-resistance is 48 ohms. Given that resistor R4 has a resistance of 22 ohms, the voltage across R4 is approximately 3.78V (i.e., (22 / (22+48)×12)). Therefore, the feedback voltage received by the MCU is 3.78V. From the above analysis, it can be seen that during the process of heating wire H1 transitioning from inactive to active, the feedback voltage waveform received by the MCU ranges from 0V to 3.78V, remaining constant until heating wire H1 stops working, at which point it returns to 0V. Based on this waveform, it can be determined whether heating wire H1 is functioning correctly, and consequently, whether the heated equipment is malfunctioning.

[0092] Example 2

[0093] This second embodiment provides a refrigerator, which includes the fault detection circuit and the heating device provided in the first embodiment.

[0094] The fault detection circuit, constructed as in Embodiment 1, includes a switching module, a data acquisition module, and a control module. It controls the on / off state of the heating wire and monitors its operating status in real time. This control circuit features closed-loop feedback, acquiring electrical signals (such as voltage or current) in the circuit during heating to determine whether the heating wire is conducting and whether the set heating time is met, thereby enhancing the system's intelligence and safety. The heating wire, a heating element, is typically installed in easily frost-prone areas of the refrigerator, such as the air vents, air ducts, drain outlets, and shelves. When energized, it provides localized heating through resistance, preventing structural freezing.

[0095] The technical advantage of this embodiment is that the refrigerator not only has a heating function, but also has real-time monitoring and fault diagnosis capabilities, which solves the problems of lack of feedback and difficulty in fault diagnosis in traditional open-loop heating methods. It is suitable for refrigerator application scenarios that require precise defrosting, temperature control and structural antifreeze.

[0096] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and are not intended to limit them. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, and should all be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A fault detection circuit for a refrigerator, characterized in that, It includes a switch module, a data acquisition module, a control module, and heating wires, which are distributed around the device to be heated; The switching module is connected to a power source and forms a heating circuit with the power source, the acquisition module, and the heating wire. The control module is connected to the switch module and the acquisition module respectively. It is used to control the switch module to turn on so that the heating circuit can work, and to acquire the on / off status signal of the heating circuit through the acquisition module so as to obtain the working status of the device to be heated and display it.

2. The fault detection circuit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The device to be heated is a damper. When the control module controls the heating circuit of the damper to work and collects a disconnection status signal, it determines that the damper and its heating circuit have malfunctioned and displays the result.

3. The fault detection circuit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The device to be heated is a vertical partition. When the control module controls the heating circuit of the vertical partition to work and collects a disconnection status signal, it determines that the vertical partition and its heating circuit have malfunctioned and displays the result.

4. The fault detection circuit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The device to be heated is an evaporator. When the control module detects a disconnection signal while controlling the heating circuit of the evaporator, it determines that the evaporator and its heating circuit have malfunctioned and displays the result.

5. The fault detection circuit according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The acquisition module is a voltage acquisition module, and the control module acquires voltage signals through the voltage acquisition module to detect the working status of the heating wire.

6. The fault detection circuit according to claim 5, characterized in that, The voltage acquisition module is a sampling resistor. One end of the sampling resistor is connected to one end of the heating wire and the control module, and the other end of the sampling resistor is grounded. The other end of the heating wire is connected to one end of the switch module.

7. The fault detection circuit according to claim 6, characterized in that, The fault detection circuit further includes a pull-down resistor, one end of which is connected to one end of the switching module and the other end of the heating wire, and the other end of the pull-down resistor and the other end of the sampling resistor are connected to ground. The pull-down resistor is used to ensure that the voltage value collected by the sampling resistor is zero when the switching module is disconnected.

8. The fault detection circuit according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The acquisition module is a current acquisition module, and the control module acquires the current signal in the heating circuit through the current acquisition module to detect the working status of the heating wire.

9. The fault detection circuit according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The switching module includes a first switching unit, a current-limiting resistor, a voltage-dividing resistor, and a second switching unit. The control terminal of the first switching unit is connected to the control module. One end of the first switching unit is connected to one end of the current-limiting resistor. The other end of the first switching unit is grounded. The other end of the current-limiting resistor is connected to one end of the voltage-dividing resistor and the control terminal of the second switching unit. The other end of the voltage-dividing resistor and one end of the second switching unit are connected together to the power supply. The other end of the second switching unit is the other end of the switching module.

10. A refrigerator, characterized in that, The refrigerator includes the fault detection circuit as described in any one of claims 1 to 9 and the heating device.

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