WO2022257471A1

WO2022257471A1 - Aging compartment for refrigerator and refrigerator having same

Info

Publication number: WO2022257471A1
Application number: PCT/CN2022/072548
Authority: WO
Inventors: 衣尧; 刘浩泉; 姜波
Original assignee: 青岛海尔电冰箱有限公司; 海尔智家股份有限公司
Priority date: 2021-06-07
Filing date: 2022-01-18
Publication date: 2022-12-15
Also published as: CN115507583B; CN115507583A

Abstract

The present invention relates to the technical field of refrigeration devices, and in particular to an aging compartment for a refrigerator and a refrigerator having same. The aging compartment comprises: a drawer, provided in a body of a refrigerator in a drawable manner, wherein an upper end of the drawer is open to form a top opening for picking up and placing food; an upper cover plate provided above the drawer and used for closing the top opening of the drawer and defining an aging space with the drawer when the drawer is completely pushed into the body, wherein a refrigeration air supply port is provided on the upper cover plate or the drawer to deliver a cooling airflow having a specified temperature into the aging space; and an airflow circulation assembly provided in the drawer and configured to cause the airflow to circulate in the aging space. By using the airflow circulation assembly to cause the airflow to circulate in the aging space, the aging compartment of the present invention provides an environment capable of implementing dry aging of food, thereby avoiding the problem of high purchase cost and difficulty in homemaking of aged food, and meeting requirements of a user for making aged food at home.

Description

Aging compartment for refrigerator and refrigerator having same

technical field

The invention relates to the technical field of refrigeration equipment, in particular to a ripening compartment for a refrigerator and a refrigerator with the same.

Background technique

In recent years, with consumers' continuous pursuit of food flavor, matured food is favored by people because of its outstanding flavor. The so-called mature food refers to the slow and natural fermentation of fresh food in an environment of constant temperature and humidity. The protein is continuously decomposed into various amino acids, and the fat is decomposed and matured to produce a strong cheese flavor, which eventually produces a deeper flavor. And change the mouthfeel, enhance the tenderness, flavor, and juiciness of food. Generally speaking, aging methods are divided into wet aging and dry aging. Wet aging refers to vacuum-packing food, such as beef, and using the natural enzymes of the food in the vacuum bag to decompose the food to a certain extent; dry aging refers to letting the food dry at low temperature without any packaging, and then the surface of the food is air-dried Hardening, using the natural enzymes of the food itself and the action of external microorganisms to decompose the food in the inner layer, loosen the muscle fibers and soften the connective tissue. Compared with wet aging, dry aging allows food to fully contact with air, and natural enzymes play more roles in decomposing food, making food more delicate and soft; at the same time, water is evaporated from food tissue, making the food itself The flavor of dry-aged food is more intense, saturated and complex. Therefore, dry-aged food has become a better choice for consumers.

However, the dry aging process requires strict control of conditions, including temperature, humidity, wind speed and time. The traditional dry aging process requires special aging equipment and long-term monitoring of the whole process to complete the aging of food. Moreover, the price of matured food produced by existing ripening equipment is very expensive, and the consumer experience cost is high.

Contents of the invention

In view of the above problems, there is proposed an aging compartment for a refrigerator and a refrigerator having the same, which overcome the above problems or at least partially solve the above problems.

An object of the present invention is to provide a ripening compartment for a refrigerator which satisfies food ripening requirements.

A further object of the present invention is to increase the efficiency of air circulation, thereby improving the ripening effect.

Another further object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator with a ripening compartment to provide an environment suitable for dry aging of food.

In particular, the present invention provides a ripening compartment for a refrigerator comprising:

The drawer can be drawn and arranged in the box of the refrigerator, and its upper end is opened to form a top opening for picking and placing food;

The upper cover is arranged above the drawer, and is used to close the top opening of the drawer when the drawer is fully pushed into the box and to define a maturing space with the drawer, wherein the upper cover or the drawer is provided with a cooling air supply port for supplying air to the maturing space deliver a cooling airflow at a specified temperature; and

The air circulation component is arranged in the drawer and configured to promote air circulation in the aging space.

Further, the airflow circulation component includes:

The casing is arranged at the corner of the bottom rear end of the drawer. The casing is triangular prism-shaped and hollow to form a receiving cavity, and the casing includes a front surface facing the inside of the aging space with an air outlet and a top plate with an air inlet; and

The blower is arranged in the containing cavity, and is used to promote the airflow in the aging space to be sucked into the containing cavity from the air inlet, and then to be released from the air outlet to the outside of the casing.

Further, the top board is lower than the upper edge of the rear wall board of the drawer in the vertical direction;

The fan is arranged near the bottom of the drawer, and the rotation axis of the fan is horizontal; wherein

The angle α between the rotation axis and the rear wall of the drawer satisfies 30°≤α≤60°;

The fan is an axial fan.

Further, a storage compartment is defined in the cabinet of the refrigerator, and the aging compartment is arranged in the storage compartment;

The housing also includes a side plate that fits on the inner side of the rear wall plate of the drawer, and an opening is opened on the side plate, and a first air vent communicating with the storage compartment is opened on the rear wall plate of the drawer at a position corresponding to the opening , so that under the action of the fan, the airflow in the storage compartment is sucked into the accommodation cavity from the first vent and the opening, and enters the aging space from the air outlet;

The drawer is provided with a second vent in the front area of the first side wall panel on the side farther away from the fan to communicate with the storage compartment to allow airflow with high humidity in the aging space under the action of the fan It flows into the storage compartment from the second vent.

Further, the position height of the geometric center of the second vent is higher than the position height of the geometric center of the first vent, and the ventilation area of the second vent is substantially the same as that of the first vent.

Further, the ripening chamber also includes:

Humidity sensor for detecting the humidity in the aging space;

A tuyere opening and closing device is provided at the first ventilation opening, and the tuyere opening and closing device is configured to fully open, partially open or completely close the first ventilation opening according to the humidity so as to adjust the cross-sectional area of the air flow of the first ventilation opening.

Further, the ripening chamber also includes:

a shelf, which is detachably arranged in the drawer, is used to support food, so that the airflow circulating in the aging space can flow in the up-down direction and left-right direction of the food; and

The tray is detachably arranged under the shelf, and is used to collect juice dripping from the food supported on the shelf during the ripening process.

Further, the shelf includes:

The supporting surface, the supporting surface is a mesh structure, and the area of the supporting surface is 0.8-0.95 times the area of the bottom of the drawer;

The supporting piece is used to support the supporting surface on the pallet, and the height of the supporting piece is 1-3cm.

Further, the upper cover plate includes a top wall and a skirt formed by turning down, wherein the skirt includes a first skirt side wall and a second skirt side wall on both sides of the top wall and a skirt on the rear side of the top wall The side and rear walls, the side walls of the first skirt and the side walls of the second skirt are wedge-shaped with a narrow front and a wide rear;

The first side wall panels and the second side wall panels on the lateral sides of the drawer are respectively configured to match the first skirt sidewall and the second skirt sidewall with a front high and rear low structure, so that when the drawer is fully pushed into the box When inside the body, the bottom surface of the skirt abuts against the top surfaces of the first side wall, the second side wall and the rear wall, and the cooling air supply port protrudes backward from the rear wall of the skirt.

The present invention also provides a refrigerator, comprising:

a box body defining a cooling air duct for providing cooling airflow; and

Any of the aforementioned ripening compartments arranged in the box; wherein

The cooling air channel is provided with at least one air supply port for delivering cooling airflow outside the cooling air channel, and at least a part of the at least one air supply port communicates with the cooling air supply port of the aging compartment.

The aging room of the present invention defines an independent aging space by using the drawer and the upper cover, and the drawer or the upper cover is provided with a cooling air supply port for delivering a cooling airflow of a specified temperature to the aging space, realizing the cooling of the aging space. temperature control. The drawer is equipped with an air circulation component, which promotes the circulation of the air in the aging space, provides an environment that can realize dry aging of food, and realizes home-made dry aging food.

Further, the airflow circulation assembly of the present invention includes a casing and a fan, and the airflow circulation inside the aging space can be more uniform and sufficient under the action of the fan to promote flow. The second ventilation port enables proper airflow exchange between the aging space and the storage compartment, and realizes the control of the humidity in the aging space, thereby further improving the effect of dry aging of food.

Furthermore, the refrigerator of the present invention realizes the cooling of the aging space inside by being specially provided with a ripening compartment and a cooling air channel that provides a cooling air flow to the ripening compartment, thereby further providing a suitable drying method for food. mature environment.

Those skilled in the art will be more aware of the above and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention according to the following detailed description of specific embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Description of drawings

Hereinafter, some specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail by way of illustration and not limitation with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numerals in the drawings designate the same or similar parts or parts. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. In the attached picture:

Fig. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a schematic structural diagram of a ripening compartment for a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a schematic structural exploded view of a ripening compartment for a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 4 is a rear view of a ripening compartment for a refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 5 is a schematic structural exploded view of an airflow circulation assembly used in a ripening compartment of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 6 is a top view with the upper cover plate removed of the aging compartment for a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

7 is a cross-sectional view of an aging compartment for a refrigerator taken along line A-A' in FIG. 2 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed ways

In order to solve at least one of the above technical problems, an embodiment of the present invention provides a ripening compartment for a refrigerator and a refrigerator having the ripening compartment.

FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a refrigerator 800 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The refrigerator 800 of the present invention may generally include a box body 810 and an aging compartment 100 disposed in the box body. A cooling air passage 820 for providing cooling airflow is defined inside the box body 810 , wherein the cooling air passage 820 is provided with at least one air supply port 821 for delivering the cooling airflow to the outside of the cooling air passage 820 . The ripening compartment 100 is provided with a cooling air supply port 500 . At least a part of the at least one air supply port 821 communicates with the cooling air supply port 500, so that the cooling air channel 820 can deliver cooling airflow of a specified temperature to the aging compartment 100 through the cooling air supply opening 500, thereby realizing the temperature control of the aging compartment 100. Adjust, for example, control the temperature in the aging chamber 100 between 0-4°C.

The refrigerator 800 of the embodiment of the present invention is equipped with a maturing compartment 100 and a cooling air duct 820 that provides a cooling airflow of a specified temperature to the maturing compartment 100, and builds a maturing environment that can realize dry aging of food, and realizes home-made dry aging food. The structure of the aging chamber 100 will be specifically introduced below.

Fig. 2 is a schematic structural view of a ripening compartment for a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 3 is a schematic exploded view of a ripening compartment for a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 4 is a rear view of an aging compartment for a refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIGS. 2-4 , the aging compartment 100 may generally include a drawer 200 , an upper cover 300 and an air circulation assembly 400 .

In this embodiment, the drawer 200 is provided in the cabinet of the refrigerator 800 in a pullable manner, and its upper end is opened to form a top opening for picking and placing food. The upper cover 300 is disposed above the drawer 200 , and is used to close the top opening of the drawer 200 and define a ripening space with the drawer 200 when the drawer 200 is fully pushed into the box. The air circulation assembly 400 is disposed in the drawer 200 and is configured to promote air circulation in the aging space. The maturation chamber 100 also includes a cooling air supply port 500 for delivering a cooling airflow of a specified temperature into the maturation space. For ease of illustration, only the cooling air supply port 500 is shown on the rear side of the upper cover 300 in FIG. 2 , but the position of the cooling air supply port 500 is not limited thereto. .

The ripening compartment 100 of the present invention is co-located with a drawer 200 and an upper cover 300 to define an independent ripening space. The drawer 200 or the upper cover 300 is provided with a cooling air supply port 500 for delivering a cooling airflow of a specified temperature into the aging space, thereby realizing the control of the temperature in the aging space. The airflow circulation component 400 in the drawer 200 promotes the airflow circulation in the aging space, thus providing an aging environment for dry aging of food.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 3 , the upper cover 300 includes a top wall 310 and a skirt 320 folded downward, and the skirt 320 is configured as a skirt when the drawer 200 is fully pushed into the box body 810 The bottom surface of 320 abuts against the two side walls of the drawer 200 and the top surface of the rear wall 210 . When the drawer 200 is fully pushed into the box body 810 , the upper cover 300 closes the top opening of the drawer 200 and defines an independent ripening space with the drawer 200 . The drawer 200 and the upper cover 300 are simple in structure, and are suitable for being assembled in various types of refrigerators 800 , which improves the versatility of the ripening compartment 100 .

In some more specific embodiments, as shown in FIGS. The side skirt rear wall 323, the first skirt side wall 321 and the second skirt side wall 322 are wedge-shaped with a narrow front and a wide rear, and the first side wall plate 220 and the second side wall plate on the lateral sides of the drawer 200 230 are correspondingly configured as a front high and rear low structure matched with the first skirt side wall 321 and the second skirt side wall 322, so that when the drawer 200 is fully pushed into the box body 810, the bottom surface of the skirt 320 is in line with the drawer 200. The top surfaces of the wall panels are in close contact with each other, so that the drawer 200 can be drawn and pulled smoothly in the box body 810 of the refrigerator 800 . Both the first side wall panel 220 and the second side wall panel 230 of the drawer 200 are coincidently arranged with the first skirt side wall 321 and the second skirt side wall 322 , which improves the airtightness of the aging space. It should be noted that the front and rear mentioned herein are relative to the box body 810 of the refrigerator 800 , and the direction toward the opening of the box body 810 is the front direction.

In some embodiments, a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature in the aging space is also provided in the aging room 100, for example, the temperature sensor is arranged on the upper cover, on the drawer or other positions in the aging space to realize the control of the aging temperature. Monitoring of the temperature in the space. For example, when the temperature sensor detects that the temperature in the aging space is greater than or equal to a predetermined temperature, the cooling air supply port 500 sends cooling air at a specified temperature into the aging space until the temperature in the aging space is controlled between 0-4°C. The ripening room 100 of this embodiment is provided with a cooling air supply port 500 and a temperature sensor, which realizes real-time monitoring and control of the temperature in the ripening space, thereby building a ripening environment that can maintain a constant temperature and is suitable for dry ripening of food .

In an optional implementation of the above-mentioned embodiment, the cooling air supply port 500 is arranged on the upper cover plate 300, and is used to deliver a cooling airflow of a specified temperature into the aging space, so as to control the temperature of the aging space at 0-4°C. For example, the cooling air supply port 500 is arranged on the first skirt side wall 321 or the second skirt side wall 322 , or the cooling air supply port 500 is arranged on the skirt rear wall 323 , or the cooling air supply port 500 is arranged on the top wall 310 Wait. In a specific application, as shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 , the cooling air supply port 500 in the embodiment of the present invention can be arranged on the rear side of the upper cover plate 300 , protruding backward from the skirt rear wall 323 of the upper cover plate 300 , sleeved on the outside of the air outlet 821. The cooling air supply port 500 of this embodiment is set on the upper cover 300, which avoids the problem that the cooling air supply form affects the structure of the drawer 200, and also avoids the restriction of the movement of the drawer 200 on the cooling air supply form, and improves the drawer. The versatility of 200 simplifies the assembly of the ripening chamber 100 and reduces the manufacturing cost.

Or, in another optional implementation of the above-mentioned embodiment, the cooling air supply port 500 is arranged on the drawer 200 (not shown in the figure), and is used to deliver a cooling airflow of a specified temperature into the aging space, so that the aging space can be obtained The temperature is controlled at 0-4°C. A specific example can be that the cooling air supply port 500 is arranged on the rear wall panel 210 of the drawer 200, that is, the rear side air intake; wind. According to the air supply form of the refrigerator 800, the ripening compartment 100 of this embodiment can more flexibly set the position of the cooling air supply outlet 500, realizing a more flexible ripening environment construction.

FIG. 5 is a schematic exploded view of an airflow circulation assembly 400 used in the aging compartment 100 of a refrigerator 800 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 6 is a top view of the ripening compartment for a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention, with the upper cover plate removed. Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6 , the air circulation assembly 400 includes a housing 410 and a fan 420 .

In this embodiment, the housing 410 is disposed at the corner of the bottom rear end of the drawer 200 , and the housing 410 is triangular prism-shaped and hollow to form an accommodating cavity. As shown in FIG. 6 , the housing 410 is in the shape of a triangular prism and the two side panels are fitted to the rear wall 210 and the second side wall 230 of the drawer 200 respectively, so that the housing 410 is arranged behind the bottom of the drawer 200 At the end corners, thereby reducing the occupation of storage space in the maturation space. As shown in FIG. 5 , the casing 410 includes a front end surface 411 facing inside the aging space with an air outlet 430 opened thereon, and a top plate 412 opened with an air inlet 440 . Specifically, the housing 410 also includes a bottom plate and two side plates, which are surrounded by the front surface 411 and the top plate 412 to form a triangular prism-shaped accommodation cavity. The blower 420 is arranged in the containing cavity, and is configured to promote the airflow in the aging space to be sucked into the containing cavity from the air inlet 440 and then to escape from the housing through the air outlet 430 . That is to say, the airflow in the aging space enters the cavity from the air inlet 440 under the actuation of the fan 420, flows through the fan 420, then radiates out of the housing 410 through the air outlet 430 and returns to the aging space, completing the aging space. internal air circulation. In some specific embodiments, the fan 420 can be configured to control the wind speed in the aging space at 0.1-0.5m/s, realizing the control of the wind speed in the aging space. Since the housing cover with the air outlet 430 and the air inlet 440 is arranged on the outside of the blower fan 420, the airflow in the aging space is sucked into the accommodation cavity from the air inlet 440 by the blower fan 420, and then diffuses out to the The maturation space realizes the air circulation in the maturation space.

In some specific embodiments, the side of the air outlet 430 facing the inside of the maturation space is provided with an air guide 431, and the air guide 431 is provided with multi-layered circular air outlet holes, which realizes a certain degree of ventilation of the air blower. With the adjustment of the air outlet angle and air outlet range at 420, the airflow in the accommodation cavity is evenly distributed to the aging space through the air outlet 430, thereby further improving the stability of the air circulation in the aging space.

In some specific embodiments, the fan 420 can be an axial flow fan, the rotation axis 421 of the fan 420 is arranged horizontally, and the angle α between the rotation axis 421 and the rear wall plate 210 of the drawer 200 satisfies 30°≤α≤60 °, for example, α can be 30°, 35°, 40°, 45°, 50°, 55°, 60°, etc. In some more specific embodiments, α may preferably be 45°. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 6 , the housing 410 is in the shape of a right triangular prism, and the cross section is an isosceles right triangle, and the fan 420 is embedded in the air outlet 430 of the front end surface 411, realizing the rotation axis 421 and the drawer 200. The angle α between the rear wall panels 210 is 45°. The rotation axis 421 of the fan 420 in this embodiment is set horizontally, and the angle α between the rotation axis 421 and the rear wall panel 210 is set at around 45°, which promotes the airflow flowing through the fan 420 to converge toward the central area of the maturation space , so as to ensure the uniformity of air circulation.

In addition, FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along the section line AA' in FIG. 2 of an aging compartment for a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which the fan 420 is adjacent to the bottom of the drawer 200. set up. In some specific embodiments, the casing 410 is fitted and fixed on the bottom of the drawer 200 , and the bottom surface of the fan 420 is fitted to the bottom surface of the casing 410 . In a preferred embodiment, the top plate 412 of the housing 410 is vertically lower than the upper edge of the rear wall 210 of the drawer 200, and the height of the rotation axis 421 of the blower fan 420 from the bottom of the drawer 200 is the height of the rear wall of the drawer 200. 0.3-0.6 times the height of 210, for example, 0.3 times, 0.4 times, 0.425 times, 0.45 times, 0.5 times, 0.6 times, etc. In some more specific embodiments, the height of the rotation axis 421 of the fan 420 from the bottom of the drawer 200 may preferably be 0.425 times the height of the rear wall 210 of the drawer 200 .

The fan 420 of this embodiment is arranged near the bottom of the drawer 200, and the top plate 412 of the housing 410 is lower than the upper edge of the rear wall plate 210 of the drawer 200 in the vertical direction, providing sufficient air intake space for the internal circulation, reducing Reduced wind resistance. The height of the rotation axis 421 of the fan 420 in this embodiment from the bottom of the drawer 200 is set to be around 0.425 times the height of the rear wall plate 210 of the drawer 200, so that the airflow flowing through the fan 420 is more fully diffused into the maturation space, Thus, the uniformity of the air circulation is further ensured.

In some embodiments, an electrical connection device 240 is provided on the rear wall panel 210 of the drawer 200 adjacent to the corner area of the air circulation assembly 400 to establish a disconnectable connection between the fan 420 and the power supply circuit of the refrigerator 800. When the drawer 200 When fully pushed into the casing, the fan 420 is connected to the power supply circuit of the refrigerator 800 to make the fan 420 work normally, and when the drawer 200 is pulled out, the connection between the fan 420 and the power supply circuit of the refrigerator 800 is disconnected.

In some embodiments, a storage compartment 830 is defined in the box body 810 of the refrigerator 800 , and the aging compartment 100 is disposed in the storage compartment 830 . Specifically, the lateral sides of the upper cover 300 may be provided with locking structures, and the wall of the storage compartment 830 may be provided with a corresponding engaging structure, so that the upper cover 300 can be directly inserted into the upper cover 300 The way is fixed in the storage compartment 830.

In this embodiment, the airflow circulation assembly 400 is also configured to facilitate airflow exchange between the storage compartment 830 and the airflow within the aging space. As shown in FIG. 3 , the casing 410 also includes a side plate 413 that is fitted to the inner side of the rear wall plate 210 of the drawer 200 . An opening 450 is opened on the side plate 413 , and the rear wall plate 210 of the drawer 200 corresponds to the opening 450 . Open the first vent 211 communicating with the storage compartment 830 on the position, so that under the action of the fan 420, the airflow in the storage compartment 830 can properly enter the accommodation space from the first vent 211 and the opening 450 cavity and enter the maturation space through the air outlet 430; the drawer 200 is provided with a second ventilation opening 221 communicating with the storage compartment 830 in the front area of the first side wall panel 220 located on the side far from the fan 420, In order to allow the airflow with high humidity in the maturation space to flow into the storage compartment 830 through the second vent 221 after fully flowing through the entire maturation space.

The ripening compartment 100 of this embodiment is provided with a first ventilation opening 211 and a second ventilation opening 221 communicating with the storage compartment 830, and the airflow in the storage compartment 830 can enter the ripening compartment through the first ventilation opening 211 and the opening 450. space, and diffuse to the storage compartment 830 through the second vent 221, realizing the air circulation between the aging space and the storage compartment 830, and further reducing the humidity in the aging compartment 100.

In some embodiments, the ventilation area of the second ventilation opening 221 is substantially the same as that of the first ventilation opening 211 , so as to achieve a more stable air circulation between the storage compartment 830 and the aging space. The position height of the geometric center of the second vent 221 is higher than the position height of the geometric center of the first vent 211 . In some specific embodiments, the lowermost side of the second vent 221 is higher than the uppermost side of the first vent 211; in other specific embodiments, the lower section of the second vent 221 is the same as the first vent The upper section of the port 211 partially overlaps. In this embodiment, the second vent 221 is set at a position higher than the first vent 211, which realizes a more sufficient air circulation between the storage compartment 830 and the aging space, further improves the uniformity of the air circulation, thereby improving The speed of humidity adjustment in the aging compartment 100 is determined.

Further, the storage compartment 830 defined in the box body 810 of the refrigerator 800 can be a refrigerator compartment, in which the ripening compartment 100 is arranged, and the first vent 211 communicates the ripening compartment 100 and the refrigerator compartment to allow refrigeration. The chamber and the aging chamber 100 perform a certain air exchange, thereby controlling the humidity in the aging space, for example, controlling the humidity in the aging space between 50%-90%, more preferably between 55%-85% . In some more specific embodiments, it is more preferably controlled at 70%, which improves the aging effect of the ingredients.

In some embodiments, the aging chamber 100 is further provided with a humidity sensor for detecting the humidity in the aging space, and the humidity sensor can be used to monitor whether the humidity in the aging space is within the required humidity range. It should be noted that the specific location of the humidity sensor is not shown in FIG. 4 . Those skilled in the art should understand that the humidity sensor can be arranged on the upper cover 300 or on the drawer 200 . In some more specific embodiments, the humidity sensor is more preferably disposed on the upper cover 300 . A tuyere opening and closing device 212 is disposed at the first air opening 211 , and the tuyere opening and closing device 212 may be configured to open or close the first air opening 211 in a controlled manner. Specifically, the tuyere opening and closing device 212 can be configured to fully open, partially open or completely close the first ventilation opening 211 under command control based on the humidity in the maturation space to adjust the cross-sectional area of the air flow of the first ventilation opening 211 . For example, the initial state of the tuyere opening and closing device 212 is to completely close the first ventilation opening 211. When the humidity sensor detects that the humidity in the aging space is greater than the required humidity range, the tuyere opening and closing device 212 gradually moves from the fully closed state to gradually open. The first vent 211 exchanges airflow with the storage compartment 830 until the humidity sensor detects that the humidity in the aging space is not greater than the required humidity range, and then returns to the fully closed state, thereby stably controlling the humidity in the aging space. Within the humidity range required for aging. This type of tuyere opening and closing device 212 can be implemented by those skilled in the art, and will not be described in detail herein. The aging room 100 of this embodiment is equipped with a tuyere opening and closing device 212 and a humidity sensor, which avoids the problem of excessive humidity in the aging space after fresh food is placed in the aging room 100, and maintains the humidity of the aging space within the required humidity range , so as to achieve a better aging effect.

In addition, in an optional implementation of the above-mentioned embodiment, a tuyere opening and closing device 212 may also be provided at the second ventilation opening 221, configured to open or close the second ventilation opening 221 synchronously with the first ventilation opening 211. When the humidity in the aging space is within the required humidity range and does not need to be connected to the storage compartment 830 by airflow, the aging space is completely isolated to prevent odors from passing through. Or, in another optional implementation manner of the above-mentioned embodiment, the second vent 221 may also be used as a return air vent for the cooling air flow, and is always in a fully open state.

In some embodiments, the aforementioned temperature sensor and humidity sensor can be implemented by a temperature and humidity sensor integrating temperature and humidity detection functions.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 , the aging compartment 100 of the present invention further includes a shelf 600 and a tray 700 . Specifically, the shelf 600 is detachably disposed in the drawer 200 and is used to support food, so that the airflow circulating in the cooking space can flow in both the up-down direction and the left-right direction of the food. That is to say, the food is placed on the shelf 600 so that the airflow circulating in the aging space can blow the food in all directions up, down, left, and right. By arranging the detachable shelf 600, on the one hand, it is convenient for users to clean themselves, on the other hand, it also makes the production and assembly easier, and reduces the production cost of the aging chamber 100. The shelf 600 of the present invention supports the food, increases the direct contact area between the food and the airflow circulating in the aging space, thereby increasing the evaporation rate of the water in the outer layer of the food, increasing the richness and saturation of the food flavor, and realizing for better maturation.

In some more specific embodiments, the shelf 600 includes a supporting surface 610 and a support 620 . As shown in Figure 6, the support surface 610 is a mesh structure, and the projected area of the support surface 610 on the horizontal plane is 0.8-0.95 times the area of the bottom of the drawer 200, which ensures a large enough space for placing food, so that the food The airflow in the up-down direction and the left-right direction is more sufficient, thereby further ensuring that every direction on the food surface can directly contact with the airflow circulating in the aging space. The projected area of the supporting surface 610 on the horizontal plane is set large enough, which increases the expansion area of the food and promotes the stretching of the muscle fibers inside the food, so that the taste of the aged food is softer and further achieves a better aging effect . Preferably, the support surface 610 extends along the horizontal direction, so that there is an air flow in the up and down direction of the food, and the uniformity of the air flow in the up and down direction of the food is increased, and the drying speed of the food is improved.

As shown in Figure 7, the support 620 is used to support the supporting surface 610 on the bottom of the drawer 200, and the height of the support 620 is 1cm-3cm, in some instances, it is more preferably controlled at 1.5cm-2.5cm between. In some more specific embodiments, it is more preferably controlled at 2 cm. The support member 620 is set at an appropriate height, so that there is sufficient airflow space under the food supported on the shelf 600, which improves the airflow velocity on the surface of the food, and also reduces the impact on the storage in the aging space to a certain extent. space occupation. Preferably, the supporting member 620 can be formed by vertically recessing the supporting surface 610, and is integrally formed, which has a simple structure and reduces manufacturing costs.

In some embodiments, the tray 700 is detachably disposed under the shelf 600, and is used to collect the juice dripping from the food supported on the shelf 600 during the ripening process, so as to prevent the dripping juice from accumulating and flowing at the bottom of the drawer 200. , thereby contaminating the internal environment of the ripening chamber 100 . Moreover, the tray 700 is a detachable part, which on the one hand is convenient for the user to clean by himself, on the other hand also makes the production and assembly easier and reduces the production cost of the aging chamber 100 .

So far, those skilled in the art should appreciate that, although a number of exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described in detail herein, without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, the disclosed embodiments of the present invention can still be used. Many other variations or modifications consistent with the principles of the invention are directly identified or derived from the content. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention should be understood and deemed to cover all such other variations or modifications.

Claims

A ripening compartment for a refrigerator comprising:

The drawer is arranged in the cabinet of the refrigerator in a pullable manner, and its upper end is opened to form a top opening for picking and placing food;

The upper cover is arranged above the drawer, and is used to close the top opening of the drawer and define a ripening space with the drawer when the drawer is fully pushed into the box, wherein the upper cover Or the drawer is provided with a cooling air supply port for delivering a cooling airflow of a specified temperature into the aging space; and

The air circulation component is arranged in the drawer and is configured to promote air circulation in the aging space.
The aging chamber according to claim 1, wherein said air circulation assembly comprises:

The casing is arranged at the corner of the bottom rear end of the drawer, the casing is triangular prism-shaped and hollow to form a receiving cavity, and the casing includes a front surface facing the interior of the aging space with an air outlet and a roof opening with air inlets; and

The blower is arranged in the accommodation cavity, and is used to promote the airflow in the maturation space to be sucked into the accommodation cavity through the air inlet and then to escape from the housing through the air outlet.
The aging compartment according to claim 2, wherein,

The top board is vertically lower than the upper edge of the rear wall board of the drawer;

The fan is arranged near the bottom of the drawer, and the rotation axis of the fan is horizontal; wherein

The angle α between the rotation axis and the rear wall of the drawer satisfies 30°≤α≤60°;

The fan is an axial fan.
The aging compartment according to claim 2, wherein,

A storage compartment is defined in the box of the refrigerator, and the aging compartment is arranged in the storage compartment;

The housing also includes a side plate that fits on the inner side of the rear wall of the drawer, the side plate is provided with an opening, and the rear wall of the drawer is provided with an opening corresponding to the opening. The storage compartment communicates with the first ventilation opening to allow the airflow in the storage compartment to be sucked into the accommodation cavity from the first ventilation opening and the opening under the action of the fan The air outlet enters the aging space.
The aging chamber of claim 4, further comprising:

Humidity sensor, for detecting the humidity in the aging space;

The first vent is provided with a tuyere opening and closing device, and the tuyere opening and closing device is configured to fully open, partially open or completely close the first vent according to the humidity to adjust the air volume of the first vent flow cross-sectional area.
The aging compartment according to claim 4, wherein,

The drawer is provided with a second ventilation opening in communication with the storage compartment in the front area of the first side wall panel on the side relatively far from the fan, so as to allow The airflow with high humidity in the aging space flows into the storage compartment from the second vent;

The position height of the geometric center of the second ventilation opening is higher than the position height of the geometric center of the first ventilation opening, and the ventilation area of the second ventilation opening is substantially the same as that of the first ventilation opening.
The aging chamber of claim 1, further comprising:

a shelf, which is detachably arranged in the drawer, is used to support food, so that the airflow circulating in the aging space can flow in both the up-down direction and the left-right direction of the food; and

The tray is detachably arranged under the shelf, and is used for collecting juice dripping from food supported on the shelf during the ripening process.
The aging compartment of claim 7, wherein said rack comprises:

The supporting surface, the supporting surface is a mesh structure, and the area of the supporting surface is 0.8-0.95 times the area of the bottom of the drawer;

The support is used to support the bearing surface on the pallet, and the height of the support is 1-3cm.
The aging compartment of claim 1, wherein:

The upper cover plate includes a top wall and a skirt formed by turning down, wherein the skirt includes a first skirt side wall and a second skirt side wall located on both sides of the top wall and a side wall located on the top. The skirt rear wall on the rear side of the wall, the first skirt side wall and the second skirt side wall are wedge-shaped with a narrow front and a wide rear;

The first side wall panels and the second side wall panels on both lateral sides of the drawer are correspondingly configured to match the first skirt sidewall and the second skirt sidewall in a high-front and low-back structure, so that When the drawer is fully pushed into the box, the bottom surface of the skirt abuts against the top surfaces of the first side wall panel, the second side wall panel and the rear wall panel, and the The cooling air supply port protrudes backward from the rear wall of the skirt.
A refrigerator comprising:

a box body defining a cooling air duct for providing cooling airflow; and

The aging compartment according to any one of claims 1-9 arranged in the box; wherein

The cooling air channel is provided with at least one air supply port for delivering the cooling air flow outside the cooling air channel, and at least a part of the at least one air supply port communicates with the cooling air supply port of the aging compartment.