Refrigerating plant for water dispenser and control method therefor, and water dispenser

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017307288-A1
Application number	US-201715649464-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 13, 2017
Priority date	Jan 16, 2015
Publication date	Oct 26, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for controlling a refrigerating device of a water dispenser. The method includes: S 1 , controlling a refrigerating module to cool water in a cold water tank; S 2 , when the temperature of the water in the cold water tank is reduced to a first preset temperature, stopping the refrigerating module at the first preset time; S 3 , controlling the refrigerating module to work again to continue cooling the water in the cold water tank; S 4 , when the temperature of the water in the cold water tank is reduced to an n th preset temperature, stopping the refrigerating module at the n th preset time; and S 5 , determining whether the temperature of the water in the cold water tank reaches a target temperature, and if not, repeating steps S 3 and S 4 after reaching a predefined number. Through multi-stage refrigeration, an ultra-low temperature refrigeration is achieved.

First claim

What is claimed:

1 . A method for controlling a refrigerating device for a water dispenser, wherein the refrigerating device comprises a cold water tank and a refrigerating module, and the method comprises:
S 1 , controlling the refrigerating module to reduce a temperature of water in the cold water tank; S 2 , when the temperature of the water in the cold water tank is reduced to a first predetermined temperature, stopping the refrigerating module for a first predetermined time period; S 3 , controlling the refrigerating module to work again to continue reducing the temperature of water in the cold water tank; S 4 , when the temperature of the water in the cold water tank is reduced to an nth predetermined temperature, stopping the refrigerating module for an nth predetermined time period, wherein the nth predetermined temperature is not greater than an (n−1)th predetermined temperature, where n is a positive integer greater than or equal to 2 and less than or equal to N; and S 5 , determining whether the temperature of the water in the cold water tank reaches a target temperature, if no, repeating steps S 3 -S 4 after n is stepped-up by 1, wherein the target temperature is configured as an Nth predetermined temperature.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein, when the water dispenser is in a temperature maintaining stage, the method further comprises:
controlling the refrigerating module to work again when the temperature of the water in the cold water tank is greater than or equal to an (N−1)th predetermined temperature, and when the temperature of the water in the cold water tank is reduced to the target temperature.

3 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein N is equal to 3, the refrigerating device performs a three-stage refrigeration, steps S 1 -S 2 constitute a first stage of refrigeration, steps S 3 -S 4 constitute a second stage of refrigeration, and step S 5 constitutes a third stage of refrigeration.

4 . The method according to claim 3 , further comprising:
after water is consumed by a user, acquiring the temperature of the water in the cold water tank; when the temperature of the water in the cold water tank is less than a second predetermined temperature, controlling the refrigerating device to enter the temperature maintaining stage; when the temperature of the water in the cold water tank is greater than or equal to the second predetermined temperature and less than the first predetermined temperature, only performing the third stage of refrigeration; when the temperature of the water in the cold water tank is greater than or equal to the first predetermined temperature and less than a predetermined temperature threshold, performing the second stage of refrigeration and the third stage of refrigeration in sequence; and when the temperature of the water in the cold water tank is greater than or equal to the predetermined temperature threshold, performing the first stage of refrigeration, the second stage of refrigeration and the third stage of refrigeration in sequence.

5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein each of the N predetermined time periods is determined according to a time period during which the refrigerating module recovers from a working state to an initial state.

6 . A refrigerating device for a water dispenser, comprising:
a cold water tank; a refrigerating module, configured to reduce a temperature of water in the cold water tank; a control module, configured to control the refrigerating module to reduce the temperature of the water in the cold water tank by performing following steps in sequence:
S 1 , controlling by the control module the refrigerating module to reduce the temperature of the water in the cold water tank;
S 2 , when the temperature of the water in the cold water tank is reduced to a first predetermined temperature, stopping the refrigerating module by the control module for a first predetermined time period;
S 3 , controlling by the control module the refrigerating module to work again to continue to reduce the temperature of the water in the cold water tank;
S 4 , when the temperature of the water in the cold water tank is reduced to an nth predetermined temperature, stopping the refrigerating module by the control module for an nth predetermined time period, wherein the nth predetermined temperature is not greater than an (n−1)th predetermined temperature, where n is a positive integer greater than or equal to 2 and less than or equal to N; and
S 5 , determining by the control module whether the temperature of the water in the cold water tank reaches a target temperature, if no, repeating steps S 3 -S 4 after n is stepped-up by 1, wherein the target temperature is configured as an Nth predetermined temperature.

7 . The refrigerating device according to claim 6 , wherein the control module is further configured to:
control the refrigerating module to work again when the temperature of the water in the cold water tank is greater than or equal to an (N−1)th predetermined temperature, and control the refrigerating module to stop working when the temperature of the water in the cold water tank is reduced to the target temperature.

8 . The refrigerating device according to claim 7 , wherein N is equal to 3, the refrigerating device performs a three-stage refrigeration, steps S 1 -S 2 constitute a first stage of refrigeration, steps S 3 -S 4 constitute a second stage of refrigeration, and step S 5 constitutes a third stage of refrigeration.

9 . The refrigerating device according to claim 8 , wherein the control module is further configured to:
acquire the temperature of the water in the cold water tank; when the temperature of the water in the cold water tank is less than a second predetermined temperature, control the refrigerating device to enter the temperature maintaining stage; when the temperature of the water in the cold water tank is greater than or equal to the second predetermined temperature and less than the first predetermined temperature, perform the third stage of refrigeration; when the temperature of the water in the cold water tank is greater than or equal to the first predetermined temperature and less than a predetermined temperature threshold, perform the second stage of refrigeration and the third stage of refrigeration; and when the temperature of the water in the cold water tank is greater than or equal to the predetermined temperature threshold, perform the first stage of refrigeration, the second stage of refrigeration and the third stage of refrigeration.

10 . The refrigerating device according to claim 6 , wherein each of the N predetermined time periods is determined according to a time period during which the refrigerating module recovers from a working state to an initial state.

11 . A water dispenser, comprising a refrigerating device for a water dispenser, wherein the refrigerating device includes:
a cold water tank; a refrigerating module, configured to reduce a temperature of water in the cold water tank; a control module, configured to control the refrigerating module to reduce the temperature of the water in the cold water tank by performing following steps in sequence:
S 1 , controlling by the control module the refrigerating module to reduce the temperature of the water in the cold water tank;
S 2 , when the temperature of the water in the cold water tank is reduced to a first predetermined temperature, stopping the refrigerating module by the control module for a first predetermined time period;
S 3 , controlling by the control module the refrigerating module to work again to continue to reduce the temperature of the water in the cold wa

Assignees

• Foshan Shunde Midea Water Dispenser Mfg Co Ltd
• Midea Group Co Ltd

Inventors

• Xie Jianzhou
• Zhang Junpeng
• Li Xingfan

Classifications

• B67D1/0857 Primary

  Cooling arrangements (cooling systems per se F25B) · CPC title

• F25D29/00 Primary

  Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices · CPC title

• B67D1/0884

  Means for controlling the parameters of the state of the liquid to be dispensed, e.g. temperature, pressure · CPC title

• F25D31/002

  Liquid coolers, e.g. beverage cooler (receptacle coolers F25D31/006) · CPC title

• F25B2600/0251

  with on-off operation · CPC title