Microwave oven and thawing control method and device for the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10397990-B2
Application number	US-201715468994-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 24, 2017
Priority date	Sep 25, 2014
Publication date	Aug 27, 2019
Grant date	Aug 27, 2019

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a microwave oven, and a thawing control method and device for the same. The method includes: detecting temperatures of a plurality of temperature detecting points on food in the microwave oven; and controlling the microwave generator to start, and thawing the food according to the temperatures of the plurality of temperature detecting points on the food. With the method, the thawed food is more nutritious, healthier, and easier to cut, and has the low temperature difference, without a cooked discoloration phenomenon.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A thawing control method for a microwave oven, wherein the microwave oven comprises a microwave generator, the method comprises:
detecting temperatures of a plurality of temperature detecting points on food in the microwave oven;
controlling the microwave generator to start, and thawing the food according to the temperatures of the plurality of temperature detecting points on the food;
wherein thawing the food according to the temperatures of the plurality of temperature detecting points on the food comprises:
thawing the food according to the temperatures of the plurality of temperature detecting points on the food, to maintain the temperature of the food between −3° C.-0° C.;
wherein the temperatures of the plurality of temperature detecting points on the food are detected by an infrared temperature sensor disposed in the microwave oven, the infrared temperature sensor comprises M infrared temperature sensing probes, and the temperatures of the plurality of temperature detecting points on the food are detected by N infrared temperature sensing probes, where N and M are positive integers, and N is less than or equal to M;
wherein thawing the food according to the temperatures of the plurality of temperature detecting points on the food, to maintain the temperature of the food between −3° C.-0° C. comprises:
thawing the food with a first firepower level, wherein the first firepower level is 30%-60% of a maximum firepower;
when 30% of the temperature detection values of the N infrared temperature sensing probes are larger than −4° C., thawing the food with a second firepower level, wherein the second firepower level is 20%-40% of the maximum firepower;
when 60% of the temperature detection values of the N infrared temperature sensing probes are larger than −4° C., thawing the food with a third firepower level, wherein the third firepower level is 30%-60% of the maximum firepower;
when 30% of the temperature detection values of the N infrared temperature sensing probes are between −3° C.-0° C., thawing the food with a fourth firepower level, wherein the fourth firepower level is 0%-30% of the maximum firepower; and
when 80% of the temperature detection values of the N infrared temperature sensing probes are between −3° C.-0° C., stopping thawing the food.

2. The thawing control method according to claim 1 , wherein thawing the food according to the temperatures of the plurality of temperature detecting points on the food comprises:
successively adopting a plurality of firepower levels according to temperature detection values of the N infrared temperature sensing probes to thaw the food.

3. The thawing control method according to claim 1 , wherein the microwave oven comprises a rotatable heating antenna, and thawing the food according to the temperatures of the plurality of temperature detecting points on the food comprises:
S 1 , determining a heating angle of the heating antenna according to the temperatures of the plurality of temperature detecting points; and
S 2 , controlling the heating antenna to rotate according to the heating angle to maintain the temperature of the food.

4. The thawing control method according to claim 3 , further comprising:
in step S 1 , judging a position of a point with a minimum temperature in the plurality of temperature detecting points; and
in step S 2 , controlling the heating antenna to rotate to the position of the point with the minimum temperature, and
wherein before S 1 , the method further comprises:
controlling the heating antenna to rotate at a constant speed; and
when 30% of the temperatures of the plurality of temperature detecting points are larger than −4° C., controlling to execute S 1 ,
wherein S 2 comprises:
when 80% of the temperatures of the plurality of temperature detecting points are between −3° C.-0° C., stopping the thawing.

5. The thawing control method according to claim 1 , wherein thawing the food according to the temperatures of the plurality of temperature detecting points on the food comprises:
thawing the food according to the temperatures of the plurality of temperature detecting points on the food, to maintain the temperature of the food at −1° C.

6. The thawing control method according to claim 1 , wherein thawing the food according to the temperatures of the plurality of temperature detecting points on the food comprises:
thawing the food according to the temperatures of the plurality of temperature detecting points on the food, to make the temperature of the food lower than −3° C.-0° C. in thawing and to maintain the temperature of the food between −3° C.-0° C. after thawing.

7. The thawing control method according to claim 6 , wherein thawing the food according to the temperatures of the plurality of temperature detecting points on the food comprises:
thawing the food according to the temperatures of the plurality of temperature detecting points on the food, to make the temperature of the food lower than −1° C. in thawing and to maintain the temperature of the food at −1° C. after thawing.

8. A thawing control device for a microwave oven, comprising:
a processor; and
a memory for storing instructions executable by the processor,
wherein the processor is configured to:
detect temperatures of a plurality of temperature detecting points on food in the microwave oven;
control the microwave generator to start, and thaw the food according to the temperatures of the plurality of temperature detecting points on the food;
wherein the processor is configured to:
thaw the food according to the temperatures of the plurality of temperature detecting points on the food, to maintain the temperature of the food at −3° C.-0° C.;
where the device further comprises:
an infrared temperature sensor configured to detect the temperatures of the plurality of temperature detecting points on the food, wherein the infrared temperature sensor comprises M infrared temperature sensing probes, and the temperatures of the plurality of temperature detecting points on the food are detected by N infrared temperature sensing probes, where N and M are positive integers, and N is less than or equal to M;
wherein the processor is configured to:
successively adopt a plurality of firepower levels according to temperature detection values of the N infrared temperature sensing probes to thaw the food;
wherein the processor is configured to successively adopt a plurality of firepower levels according to temperature detection values of the N infrared temperature sensing probes to thaw the food by acts of:
thawing the food with a first firepower level, wherein the first firepower level is 30%-60% of a maximum firepower;
when 30% of the temperature detection values of the N infrared temperature sensing probes are larger than −4° C., thawing the food with a second firepower level, wherein the second firepower level is 20%-40% of the maximum firepower;
when 60% of the temperature detection values of the N infrared temperature sensing probes are larger than −4° C., thawing the food with a third firepower level, wherein the third firepower level is 30%-60% of the maximum firepower;
when 30% of the temperature detection values of the N infrared temperature sensing probes are between −3° C.-0° C., thawing the food with a fourth firepower level, wherein the fourth firepower level is 0%-30% of the maximum firepower; and
when 80% of the temperature detection values of the N infrared temperature sensing probes are between −3° C.-0° C., stopping thawing the food.

9. The thawing control device according to claim 8 , further comprising:
a rotatable heating antenna,
wherein the processor is further configured to perform acts of:
S 1 , determinin

Assignees

• Guangdong Midea Kitchen Appliances Mfg Co Ltd
• Midea Group Co Ltd

Inventors

• Tang Xiangwei
• Jia Yuze
• Li Yan
• Luan Chun
• Sun Dawen
• Han Zhong
• Zeng Xinan

Classifications

• F24C7/08

  Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices · CPC title

• F24C7/02 Primary

  using microwaves · CPC title

• H05B6/645

  using temperature sensors · CPC title

• H05B6/688 Primary

  for thawing · CPC title

• H05B6/725

  Rotatable antennas · CPC title