US 11,852,395 B2
Refrigerator and energy-saving control method and apparatus therefor
Jincai Wang, Anhui (CN); Yang Shao, Anhui (CN); Guangqing Yang, Anhui (CN); Zengqiang Si, Anhui (CN); and Yabing Wu, Anhui (CN)
Assigned to HEFEI HUALING CO., LTD, Hefei (CN); HEFEI MIDEA REFRIGERATOR CO., LTD., Hefei (CN); and MIDEA GROUP CO., LTD., Anhui (CN)
Appl. No. 16/954,127
Filed by HEFEI HUALING CO., LTD., Anhui (CN); HEFEI MIDEA REFRIGERATOR CO., LTD., Anhui (CN); and MIDEA GROUP CO., LTD., Guangdong (CN)
PCT Filed Dec. 12, 2018, PCT No. PCT/CN2018/120498
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jun. 15, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2019/114735, PCT Pub. Date Jun. 20, 2019.
Claims priority of application No. 201711352737.X (CN), filed on Dec. 15, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2021/0164716 A1, Jun. 3, 2021
Int. Cl. F25C 5/187 (2018.01); F25C 5/20 (2018.01); G05B 15/02 (2006.01)
CPC F25C 5/187 (2013.01) [F25C 5/22 (2018.01); G05B 15/02 (2013.01); F25C 2400/10 (2013.01); F25C 2600/04 (2013.01); F25C 2700/02 (2013.01)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An energy-saving control method for a refrigerator, wherein the refrigerator includes an ice machine having an ice discharge motor, an ice storage bin and a position switch for the ice storage bin, the energy-saving control method comprising:
detecting and determining that the ice storage bin is full of ices;
controlling the ice machine to stop making ices, and acquiring a state of the ice discharge motor and the position switch for the ice storage bin, the ice discharge motor configured to discharge ices to a user of the refrigerator; and
determining that an ice-detection-with-heating action is required for the ice machine based on the state of the ice discharge motor, including:
determining that the ice discharge motor acts;
acquiring a time period during which the ice discharge motor acts and a quantity of actions of the ice discharge motor within a preset time period; and
determining that the ice-detection-with-heating action is required for the ice machine based on at least one of the time period during which the ice discharge motor acts or the quantity of actions of the ice discharge motor within the preset time period meets a respective threshold.