WO2019154692A1

WO2019154692A1 - Domestic refrigeration appliance having a defrosting compartment and method for operating a domestic refrigeration appliance of this type

Info

Publication number: WO2019154692A1
Application number: PCT/EP2019/052250
Authority: WO
Inventors: Maria Marijke Bouwman; Antje ENGSTLER
Original assignee: BSH Hausgeräte GmbH
Priority date: 2018-02-06
Filing date: 2019-01-30
Publication date: 2019-08-15
Also published as: CN111684223A; DE102018201813A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a domestic refrigeration appliance (1) and to a method for operating a domestic refrigeration appliance (1). The domestic refrigeration appliance (1) comprises a defrosting compartment (20) for accommodating a food (21) to be defrosted, a refrigeration device (23) for cooling the defrosting compartment (20), a heating device (22) for heating the defrosting compartment (20), and an electronic control device (9). The electronic control device (9) is designed to control the heating device (22) and the refrigeration device (23) in such a way that the defrosting compartment (20) has a freezing temperature less than -10°C during a freezing phase, a defrosting temperature greater than 0°C during a defrosting phase immediately following the freezing phase, and a cooling temperature greater than the freezing temperature and less than the defrosting temperature during a cooling phase immediately following the defrosting phase, to calculate, by means of a mathematical food model and a specification regarding the type, amount and shape of the food (21) to be defrosted, the defrosting duration within which the food to be defrosted completely defrosts during the defrosting phase because of the freezing temperature and the defrosting temperature, to calculate, on the basis of a specification regarding the time point at which the food (21) to be defrosted should be completely defrosted, the starting time point for the defrosting phase in dependence on the calculated defrosting duration and the time point such that the food (21) to be defrosted is completely defrosted at the time point, to begin the defrosting phase at the calculated starting time point, and to end the defrosting phase and begin the cooling phase at the time point.

Description

Domestic refrigerating appliance with a thawing compartment and method for operating such a household refrigerating appliance

The invention relates to a household refrigerator with a defrost and a method for operating such a household refrigerator.

US 5,326,578 discloses a refrigerator comprising a refrigeration device, a heater, a multi-purpose compartment for refrigerated storage and thawing of a food, a control device for driving the heating device, a defrost button and an input menu. Pressing the thaw button will start a thawing phase while thawing a frozen food in the multipurpose tray. During the thawing phase, the controller controls the heater to heat the air of the multipurpose thawing compartment. On the basis of an indication of the quantity of frozen food which is manually selected by means of the input menu, a thawing temperature associated with the selected quantity results, a minimum thawing time associated with the selected quantity and a maximum thawing time associated with the selected quantity. When the minimum thawing period has been reached, the thawing phase is ended when the multi-purpose tray has reached the appropriate thawing temperature. Otherwise, the thawing phase will be prolonged until the maximum thawing time has been reached. After the end of the thawing phase, the heater is turned off to cool the multi-purpose tray to a temperature of -2 ° C for a predetermined period of time.

US 2008/0017348 A1 discloses a thawing device for thawing frozen food. The thawing device comprises a thawing chamber and a temperature sensor and is arranged to heat the food in dependence on the surface temperature of the food to be thawed, as measured by means of the temperature sensor. After thawing, the thawing chamber is cooled at a temperature of 3 to 4 ° C for refrigerated storage of the thawed food.

Object of the present invention is to provide an improved household refrigeration appliance with a Auftaufach and an improved method for operating a household refrigerator with a Auftaufach. The object of the invention is achieved by a household refrigerating appliance, comprising a defrosting compartment for receiving a thawing device, a cooling device provided for cooling the defrosting compartment, a heating device provided for heating the defrosting compartment and an electronic control device which is set up to control the heating device and the refrigerating device in such a way in that during a freezing phase the freezing phase has a freezing temperature of less than -10 ° C, a thawing temperature greater than 0 ° C during a thawing phase immediately following the freezing phase, and a cooling temperature greater than the freezing temperature and less than the thawing temperature during a cooling phase immediately following the thawing phase , wherein the electronic control device is set up, by means of a mathematical food model and an indication of the type, amount and shape of the food to be thawed, the thawing period within which if the food to be thawed is completely thawing due to the freezing temperature and the thawing temperature during the thawing phase, the electronic control device is set to start the thawing phase depending on the calculated time, based on an indication of the time at which the food to be thawed is completely thawed Thawing time to calculate the time so that the food to be thawed at the time completely thawed, the electronic control device is set to start the thawing phase at the calculated starting time, and the electronic control device is configured to end the thawing phase at the time and to start the cooling phase.

The object of the invention is also achieved by a method for operating a household refrigerating appliance, which has a defrosting compartment for receiving a food to be thawed, a cooling device provided for cooling the defrosting compartment, and a heating device provided for heating the defrosting compartment, comprising the following method steps:

- Controlled in particular by an electronic control device of the household refrigerator, operating the heating device and the refrigeration device such that the freezer during a freezing phase, a freezing temperature less than -10 ° C, during a freezing phase immediately subsequent thawing a thawing temperature greater than 0 ° C and during a the thawing phase immediately subsequent cooling phase has a cooling temperature greater than the freezing temperature and less than the thawing temperature,

by means of a mathematical food model, and an indication of the type, amount and shape of the food to be thawed, calculating, in particular by means of the electronic control device, the thawing period in which the food to be thawed completely thaws due to the freezing temperature and the thawing temperature during the thawing phase,

- calculating, in particular by means of the electronic control device, the start time for the thawing phase as a function of the calculated thawing period and the time at which the food to be thawed is completely thawed, by giving an indication of the time at which the food to be thawed is completely thawed,

- Starting the thawing phase at the calculated starting time, and

- Ending the thawing phase and starting the cooling phase at the time.

The household refrigeration appliance accordingly comprises the thawing compartment, the refrigeration device and the heating device. The thawing compartment is intended to thaw out a frozen food and, if appropriate, after thawing, ie after the thawing phase, to store the thawed food cool during the cooling phase. For cool storage, the household refrigerator includes the refrigeration device. The refrigeration device is preferably designed as a refrigerant circuit, which is known in principle to a person skilled in the art. The cooling temperature is lower than the thawing temperature. The cooling temperature is preferably greater than or equal to 0 ° C, e.g. 3 to 4 ° C and is preferably controlled.

The thawing temperature is preferably greater than 4 ° C, e.g. between 8 ° C and 16 ° C.

The household refrigeration device is also set up to store frozen food during the freezing phase before the thawing phase. The freezing temperature is less than -10 ° C, preferably -18 ° C. During the freezing phase, in particular, the electronic control device controls the refrigeration device accordingly. The freezing temperature is preferably controlled. Due to the possibility of the freezing phase, the frozen food can first be stored frozen in the Auftaufach to be thawed later.

The household refrigerator may include, in addition to the Auftaufach a thermally insulated body with an inner container that limits a space provided for storing food coolable interior. The cooling device can also be provided to cool the coolable interior, in particular to cool it at least approximately to a predetermined temperature.

The household refrigerator may comprise a thermally insulated door leaf, which closes the coolable interior in the closed state and makes it accessible in the open state.

The coolable interior is preferably a freezer compartment for storing frozen foodstuffs at temperatures well below 0 ° C, e.g. at -18 ° C.

In particular, the domestic refrigeration appliance comprises the electronic control which is set up to control the refrigeration device and the heating device during the freezing phase, the thawing phase and the cooling phase in such a way that the thawing compartment has the intended temperatures. Preferably, the refrigeration device and / or the heating device are regulated. The household refrigerating appliance may for this purpose include a temperature sensor which measures the current actual temperature of the defrosting axle.

Depending on the type, amount and shape of the food to be thawed, the thawing temperature and the freezing temperature, ie the temperature that the food has at the start of thawing, different thawing periods occur during which the frozen food completely thaws.

The type of food in particular refers to whether the food is, for example, meat, poultry. Fish, fruits or fruits. For example, in the case of meat, this can still be subdivided into greasy or lean meat and optionally even divided into bone-in or boneless meat. A measure of the amount of food to be thawed is, for example, its mass before thawing.

The form of the food may e.g. whether the food to be thawed is flat, e.g. an already portioned steak, is formed as a relatively massive block, such as e.g. a roast, or e.g. consists of several smaller portions, e.g. individual pieces of vegetables.

According to the invention, the thawing time is now calculated on the basis of the type, amount and shape of the food to be thawed and the initial temperature and the freezing temperature by means of the mathematical food model. Mathematical food models are e.g. from D.J. Cleland, A.C. Cleland, R.L.Earke, "Prediction of Freezing and Thawing Times for Multi-dimensional Shapes by Simple Formulas Part 1: Regular Shapes", International Journal Refrigeration 1987, Vol 10 May, known to those skilled in the art.

The mathematical food model is e.g. stored in the electronic control device.

Due to the calculated thawing time and the time when the food is to be completely thawed, it is possible to calculate the starting time at which the thawing phase should begin. This allows the food to be thawed to be stored frozen in the thawing compartment and thawed automatically when the thawed food is to be consumed. This allows the food to be kept fresh longer. If, on the other hand, the thawed food is not used at the desired time, but only later, then this is stored automatically cool due to the cooling phase following the thawing phase, as a result of which the thawed food remains fresh longer. The household refrigerator may e.g. include a clock to detect the start time.

The thawing temperature may for example be fixed or manually adjusted, for example by means of an input device of the household refrigerator. Preferably, the thawing temperature is based on the indication of the type, amount and shape of the thawing Determined automatically, in particular by means of the mathematical food model.

The indication of the type, amount and form of the food may e.g. manually entered or selected for example by means of an input device of the household refrigerator. The input device comprises e.g. a menu by means of which the type, quantity and shape of the food can be selected.

The information about the type, amount and shape of the food can preferably be determined at least partially automatically by means of a corresponding determination device of the household refrigerator.

The determining device may e.g. include a scale with which the mass, ie the amount of food to be thawed automatically determined.

The determining device may also include an odor sensor by means of which the type of food can be automatically determined.

Depending on the embodiment of the household refrigerating appliance according to the invention, a prediction of the thawing time or the thawing time of different frozen foods based on the type, amount and shape of the food and optionally setting of thawing parameters results in particular. By means of the mathematical food model, the thawing period is calculated, which makes it possible, in particular, to thaw the food under relatively good, if not optimal, hygienic conditions and, if appropriate, to store it cool until use.

For example, after entering the starting state of the food, the type, the amount and the shape of the food, a statement about the thawing period, and possibly also the thawing temperature can be made. Alternatively, the information on the thawing time durations can be stored from literature values or experimentally determined values. This provides the opportunity to store the frozen food as long as possible at optimal and cool temperatures and at the same time to offer the consumer the opportunity to have the thawed food available at a time specified by him. If the thawed products are not used at the preselected time, the thawed food can be kept hygienically safer during the cooling phase.

An example of thawing would be: storage from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm at 4 ° C until the food is completely thawed and from 6:00 pm at 0 ° C, if not taken as directed.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying schematic drawings. Show it:

1 is a household refrigerator with a Auftaufach,

Fig. 2 is a side view of the Auftaufachs, and

Fig. 3 shows an input device of the household refrigerator.

FIG. 1 shows a front view of a household refrigerating appliance 1.

The household refrigerating appliance 1 comprises a thermally insulated body 2 with an inner container 3, which has a refrigerated interior designed as a freezer compartment 4 for storing frozen foodstuffs at temperatures of e.g. -18 ° C.

The household refrigerating appliance 1 comprises a defrosting compartment 20, which is shown in more detail in a sectional representation in FIG. 2 and, for example, likewise delimited by the body 2. The hopper 20 is provided to thaw a food to be thawed 21 during a thawing phase with a thawing temperature greater than 0 ° C and then store cool during a cooling phase. For thawing, the household refrigerating appliance 1 comprises a heating device 22, which heats the thawing compartment 20, and for refrigerated storage, a refrigerating device 23, which cools the thawing compartment 20. The Heater 22 is, for example, an electric heater. The cooling temperature during the cooling phase is less than the thawing temperature and eg 3 to 4 ° C.

In the case of the present embodiment, it is provided that the refrigeration device 23 of the thawing roof 20, the Auftaufach 20 also to freezing temperatures of e.g. -18 ° C is able to cool so that the thawing food 21 is stored frozen before thawing for a long time during a freezing phase in the freezer 20.

In the case of the present embodiment, the Auftaufach 20 is disposed above the freezer compartment 4 and separated from it by means of a thermally insulated wall 5.

The household refrigerator 1 comprises in the case of the present embodiment, a freezer compartment 4 associated Türbaltt 6, which makes open the freezer compartment 4 accessible and closes the freezer compartment 4 closes.

In the case of the present exemplary embodiment, the household refrigerating appliance 1 comprises a door baffle 7 associated with the brewing compartment, which baffle 20 makes the brewing compartment 20 accessible and closes the defrosting compartment 20 closed.

The domestic refrigeration appliance 1 comprises in particular a refrigerant circuit as a refrigeration device for cooling the freezer compartment 4.

In the case of the present exemplary embodiment, the refrigerant circuit is also provided for cooling the defrosting shaft 20, so that the refrigerant circuit is part of the cooling device 23 provided for cooling the defrosting shaft 20.

The household refrigerating appliance 1 further comprises an electronic control device 9, which is set up to control the operation of the household refrigerating appliance 1, in particular to control the refrigerant circuit such that the freezer compartment 4 at least approximately its target temperature of, for example, -18 ° C. For this purpose, the household refrigerator 1 may comprise a temperature sensor, not shown, which measures the actual temperature of the freezer compartment 4. The electronic control device 9 is in particular also provided to control the cooling device 23 and the heating device 22, in particular to regulate. In order to obtain the actual temperature of the defrosting axis 20, this comprises a temperature sensor 24 connected to the electronic control device 9.

In the case of the present exemplary embodiment, the thawing compartment 20 comprises a plurality of openings 25 through which the air cooled by the cooling device 23 or heated by the heating device 22 is able to flow into the thawing compartment.

In the case of the present embodiment, the electronic control device 9 is arranged to completely defrost the thawing time 21 by means of a mathematical food model and an indication of the kind, amount and shape of the food 21 to be thawed, due to the freezing temperature and the thawing temperature during the thawing phase , to calculate. The mathematical food model is e.g. deposited in the electronic control device 9.

In the case of the present embodiment, the electronic control device 9 is arranged to calculate the starting time for the thawing phase depending on the calculated thawing period and the time, so that the food to be thawed for., Based on an indication of the time at which the food to be thawed is completely thawed Time completely thawed.

In the case of the present embodiment, the electronic control device 9 is arranged to start the thawing phase at the calculated start time, and the electronic control device 9 is arranged to stop the thawing phase at the time and then to start the cooling phase.

In the case of the present embodiment, the household refrigerating appliance 1 comprises an input device 8 shown in FIG. 3, by means of which the information about the time and the type, quantity and shape of the food 21 to be thawed can be manually entered or selected. It is also possible that these details can be entered remotely, eg with a smartphone 10. For this purpose, the household refrigerator 1 is in particular connected to the Internet. The smartphone 10 is then configured in particular with a suitable app.

In the case of the present embodiment, the household refrigerating appliance 1 comprises a determining device which is set up to at least partially automatically determine the type, quantity and shape of the food to be thawed. The determining device comprises e.g. a scale 26, with which the amount or the mass of the food to be thawed 21 is automatically determined and / or an odor sensor 27, with which the type of food 21 can be determined.

In the case of the present embodiment, the input device 8 is designed as a touch screen.

The type of foodstuff relates in particular to whether the food is e.g. around meat, poultry. Fish, fruits or fruits. This selection is symbolically displayed in the case of the present embodiment by means of the input device 8. The kind of the food 21 can be selected by touching the boxes 31 to 34 associated with the individual symbols.

It may also be provided to divide meat into greasy or lean meat and, if appropriate, to divide it into bone-in or boneless meat. This selection can be done in the case of the present embodiment by touching radio buttons 31 a to 31 d.

The mass or amount of the food 21 to be thawed, if present, can be determined automatically with the scale 26 or entered by means of the input device 8. This includes, e.g. an input means 35.

The indication of the shape of the food 21 in the case of the present embodiment, for example, consist in whether the food to be thawed is flat, is formed as a relatively solid block, or, for example, consists of several smaller portions. This selection will be in the case of the present Embodiment symbolically displayed by the input device 8. The kind of the food 21 can be selected by touching the radio buttons 36a to 36c associated with these symbols.

In the case of the present exemplary embodiment, the input device 8 can also be designed such that the food to be thawed 21 is to be stored for a longer time before the thawing phase in the thawing compartment 20, ie the foodstuff 21 has the freezing temperature at the beginning of the thawing phase, or whether the food to be thawed 21 should be thawed, for example, directly after a purchase.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1 household refrigerator

2 corpus

3 inner container

4 freezer room

5 partition

6, 7 Türbaltt

8 input device

9 electronic control device

10 smartphone

20 Auftaufach

21 foods

22 heating device

23 refrigeration device

24 temperature sensor

25 openings

26 Libra

27 Odor sensor

31 -34 boxes

31 a-31d radio buttons

35 input means

36a-36c radio buttons

Claims

A household refrigerating appliance, comprising a defrosting compartment (20) for receiving a food to be thawed (21), a cooling device (23) provided for cooling the defrosting compartment (20), and a heating device (22) provided for heating the defrosting compartment (20), characterized by an electronic control device (9) which is set up to control the heating device (22) and the refrigeration device (23) such that the defrosting compartment (20) during a freezing phase has a freezing temperature of less than -10 ° C during a thawing phase immediately following the freezing phase a thawing temperature greater than 0 ° C and during a cooling phase immediately following the thawing phase a cooling temperature greater than the freezing temperature and less than the thawing temperature, the electronic control device (9) being arranged, by means of a mathematical food model, and an indication of the nature Quantity and form of the food to be thawed (2 1) the thawing period in which the food to be thawed is completely thawed due to the freezing temperature and the thawing temperature during the thawing phase, the electronic control device (9) is set based on an indication of when the thawing food (21) is completely thawed should be thawed to calculate the start time for the thawing phase depending on the calculated thawing period and the time so that the food to be thawed (21) is completely thawed at the time, the electronic control device (9) is set to start the thawing phase at the calculated starting time, and the electronic control device (9) is arranged to stop the thawing phase at the time and to start the cooling phase.

2. Household refrigerating appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that the electronic control device (9) determines the thawing temperature based on the indication of the type, amount and shape of the food to be thawed (21).

3. Domestic refrigerating appliance according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by an input device (8) by means of which the information about the type, amount and shape of the food to be thawed (21) is manually entered or selectable.

4. Domestic refrigerating appliance according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by a determining device which is adapted to determine the type, amount and shape of the food to be thawed (21) at least partially automatically.

5. Domestic refrigerating appliance according to claim 4, characterized in that the determining device comprises a balance (26) and / or an odor sensor (27).

6. Domestic refrigerating appliance according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the cooling temperature is 3 to 4 ° C and the thawing temperature is greater than 4 ° C.

7. A method for operating a household refrigeration appliance, which comprises a Auftaufach (20) for receiving a food to be thawed (21), a cooling device for cooling the thawing (20) provided for cooling device (23), and for heating the Auftaufachs (20) provided for heating device (22 ), comprising the following method steps:

- Operating the heating device (22) and the refrigeration device (23) such that the Auftaufach (20) during a freezing phase, a freezing temperature of less than -10 ° C, during a freezing phase immediately following thawing a thawing temperature greater than 0 ° C and during a the thawing phase immediately following the cooling phase has a cooling temperature greater than the freezing temperature and less than the thawing temperature,

by means of a mathematical food model and an indication of the type, amount and shape of the food to be thawed (21), calculating the thawing period within which the food to be thawed (21) completely thaws due to the freezing temperature and the thawing temperature during the thawing phase, due to an indication of the time at which the food to be thawed (21) is to be completely thawed, calculating the start time for the thawing phase as a function of the calculated thawing time and the time at which the food to be thawed (21) is completely thawed at the time,

- Starting the thawing phase at the calculated starting time, and

- Ending the thawing phase and starting the cooling phase at the time.

8. The method of claim 7, comprising determining the thawing temperature based on the indication of the type, amount and shape of the food to be thawed (21).

A method according to claim 7 or 8, comprising manually inputting or selecting the indication of the type, amount and shape of the food to be thawed.

10. The method according to any one of claims 7 to 9, comprising an automatic, at least partially determining the type, amount and shape of the food to be thawed.