CN111721046A

CN111721046A - Refrigerator with a door

Info

Publication number: CN111721046A
Application number: CN201910222743.6A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 刘瑾; 丁剑波; 潘自杰; 李建新; 盛遵丰
Original assignee: Qingdao Haier Special Refrigerator Co Ltd; Qingdao Haier Co Ltd
Current assignee: Qingdao Haier Special Refrigerator Co Ltd; Qingdao Haier Co Ltd
Priority date: 2019-03-22
Filing date: 2019-03-22
Publication date: 2020-09-29

Abstract

The present invention provides a refrigerator, comprising: the refrigerator comprises a box body with a storage chamber and a door body for opening or closing the storage chamber; the door body is provided with a gas balance device, the gas balance device comprises a connecting pipe used for communicating the storage compartment with the external space of the box body, a sealing piece is arranged on the gas balance device, when the sealing piece is pressed to move, the connecting pipe is opened, otherwise, the connecting pipe is blocked; the box body is provided with a door opening actuator, and the door opening actuator can press and move or does not contact the sealing piece. Since the gas balancing device can balance the pressure difference between the storage compartment and the external space, the user can easily open the door body.

Description

Refrigerator with a door

Technical Field

The invention relates to the technical field of refrigeration equipment, in particular to a refrigerator.

Background

In the conventional refrigerator, after the door body is closed, since the internal temperature of the storage compartment is relatively low and the internal air is strongly cooled, the air pressure in the storage compartment is lower than the air pressure in the external space of the refrigerator, so that the door body cannot be easily opened. The existing refrigerator usually adopts a door seal to be perforated and/or ribs are added on an opening frame of a refrigerator body so as to balance the internal and external pressure difference of a storage chamber. But the perforation position on the door seal is easy to have dew-cold frosting phenomenon; the ribs of the box body are easy to dew and cool, so that the phenomena of dew condensation, frosting and the like occur, and the door body cannot be normally opened.

Therefore, how to balance the air pressure difference between the inside and the outside of the storage chamber in the refrigerator becomes a problem to be solved urgently.

Disclosure of Invention

The invention aims to provide a refrigerator.

In order to achieve one of the above objects, an embodiment of the present invention provides a refrigerator including: the refrigerator comprises a box body with a storage chamber and a door body for opening or closing the storage chamber; the door body is provided with a gas balance device, the gas balance device comprises a connecting pipe used for communicating the storage compartment with the external space of the box body, a sealing piece is arranged on the gas balance device, when the sealing piece is pressed to move, the connecting pipe is opened, otherwise, the connecting pipe is blocked; the box body is provided with a door opening actuator, and the door opening actuator can press and move or does not contact the sealing piece.

As a further improvement of an embodiment of the present invention, the present invention further includes: and the door opening sensing module controls the door opening actuator to press and move the sealing piece when receiving a door opening signal, and otherwise, the door opening sensing module does not contact the sealing piece.

As a further improvement of an embodiment of the present invention, a door seal assembly is disposed on the door body, the connecting pipe has an inlet and an outlet, the inlet is communicated with an external space of the box body, and the outlet is communicated with a door body lining located inside the door seal assembly.

As a further improvement of an embodiment of the present invention, the gas balancing device includes: the valve comprises a valve body and a valve body, wherein the valve body is provided with a first valve port, a second valve port and an inner cavity communicated with the first valve port and the second valve port, and a sealing element and an elastic element are arranged in the inner cavity; the first valve port is communicated with the external space, a valve seat is arranged at the second valve port, one end of the valve seat is connected with the second valve port in a sealing mode, the other end of the valve seat is connected with the inlet in a sealing mode, and a through hole communicated with the second valve port and the inlet is formed in the valve seat; the two ends of the elastic piece respectively and elastically press the valve seat and the sealing piece, when the sealing piece presses against the first valve port, the first valve port is sealed, otherwise, the first valve port is not sealed.

As a further improvement of an embodiment of the present invention, the sealing element is a sealing ball, the cross section of the first valve port is circular, and the diameter of the circle is smaller than the diameter of the sealing ball.

As a further improvement of an embodiment of the present invention, the cross section of the inner cavity is gradually enlarged along a direction in which the first valve port is directed to the second valve port.

As a further improvement of an embodiment of the present invention, the door opening actuator is provided with a retractable stem, and when the stem is extended, the stem can press and move the seal member in a direction in which the first valve port faces the second valve port.

As a further improvement of an embodiment of the present invention, the first valve port is disposed on a liner of the door body, and a direction of the first valve port facing the second valve port is perpendicular to the liner; when the seal is not depressed, a portion of the seal protrudes from the first valve port; in the process that the ejector rod presses and moves the sealing element, the ejector rod can abut against the inner liner of the door body; when the door opening sensing module receives a door opening signal, the ejector rod is controlled to continuously extend out and gradually increase the thrust until the door body is opened.

As a further improvement of an embodiment of the present invention, a fan is disposed at a communication position between the connection pipe and the storage compartment, and when the door opening sensing module receives a door opening signal, the fan is controlled to rotate, and the fan can suck air in an external space into the storage compartment.

As a further improvement of an embodiment of the present invention, the inner surface of the connection pipe is coated with a hydrophobic coating.

Compared with the prior art, the invention has the technical effects that: the invention provides a refrigerator, wherein a door body is provided with a gas balance device, the gas balance device comprises a connecting pipe for communicating a storage chamber with the external space of a refrigerator body, a sealing piece is arranged on the gas balance device and is used for opening or closing the connecting pipe, therefore, the sealing piece can be moved before a user opens the door body, so that the sealing piece does not seal the connecting pipe, and the refrigerator is very convenient for opening the door body.

Drawings

Fig. 1A is a schematic view of a first structure of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which a sealing member is pressed and moved;

FIG. 1B is an enlarged schematic view of region A of FIG. 1A;

fig. 2A is a schematic view of a second structure of the refrigerator in the embodiment of the present invention, in which the sealing member is not moved by pressing;

FIG. 2B is an enlarged schematic view of region B of FIG. 2A;

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of a gas balancing apparatus in an embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 4 is a perspective view of a valve seat in an embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed Description

The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to embodiments shown in the drawings. These embodiments are not intended to limit the present invention, and structural, methodological, or functional changes made by those skilled in the art according to these embodiments are included in the scope of the present invention.

Terms such as "upper," "above," "lower," "below," and the like, used herein to denote relative spatial positions, are used for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element or feature as illustrated in the figures. The spatially relative positional terms may be intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turned over, elements described as "below" or "beneath" other elements or features would then be oriented "above" the other elements or features. Thus, the exemplary term "below" can encompass both an orientation of above and below. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly.

Also, it should be understood that, although the terms first, second, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements or structures, these described elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish these descriptive objects from one another. For example, a first valve port may be referred to as a second valve port, and similarly a second valve port may also be referred to as a first valve port, without departing from the scope of the present application.

An embodiment of the present invention provides a refrigerator, as shown in fig. 1A, 1B, 2A, and 2B, including:

a cabinet 1 including a storage compartment (not shown) and a door 2 for opening or closing the storage compartment; here, the storage compartment may be a refrigerating compartment, a freezing compartment, a temperature-changing compartment, or the like, and the door body 2 may be pivotally mounted on the cabinet 1, or may be a drawer door.

The door body 2 is provided with a gas balance device 21, the gas balance device 21 comprises a connecting pipe 211 for communicating the storage compartment with the external space of the box body 1, the gas balance device 21 is provided with a sealing element 2124, when the sealing element 2124 is pressed to move, the connecting pipe 211 is opened, otherwise, the connecting pipe 211 is blocked; here, when the connection pipe 211 is opened, air may flow between the storage compartment and the external space, thereby equalizing the air pressure of the storage compartment and the external space; correspondingly, when the connection pipe 211 is blocked, air cannot flow between the storage compartment and the external space, and at this time, humid air in the external space cannot enter the storage compartment, so that the possibility of frost in the storage compartment can be greatly reduced, and cold air in the storage compartment cannot flow to the external space, so that the loss of cold in the storage compartment can be greatly reduced.

Here, "pressing movement" can be understood as: the seal 2124 is touched and forced by an object and moved a distance.

The box body 1 is provided with a door opening actuator 12, and the door opening actuator 12 can press and move or does not contact the sealing part 2124. Here, a push rod 121 may be disposed on the door opening actuator 12, and when the door body is closed, the push rod 121 is opposite to the sealing member 2124, so that when the door opening actuator 12 controls the push rod 121 to extend, the sealing member 2124 is pressed to apply force to the sealing member 2124 and move the sealing member 2124 a distance, and when the push rod 121 contracts, the sealing member 2124 is not contacted.

Here, one end of the connection pipe 211 is communicated with the storage compartment, and the other end is communicated with the external space of the cabinet 1, when the refrigerator is used, the temperature in the storage compartment is usually lower than the temperature in the external space, so that the air pressure in the storage compartment is lower than the air pressure in the external space, which is very inconvenient for a user to open the door body 2, whereas in the refrigerator according to the embodiment of the present invention, when the user needs to open the door body 2, the door opening actuator 12 may be controlled to press and move the sealing member 2124, so that the connection pipe 211 is opened, so that the air pressures in the storage compartment and the external space are equal, thereby being very convenient for the user to open the door body.

Preferably, the method further comprises the following steps: a door opening sensing module (not shown) for controlling the door opening actuator 12 to press and move the sealing member 2124 when receiving a door opening signal, or otherwise, not to contact the sealing member 2124. Here, the door opening sensing module may include a sensing device disposed on an outer surface of the cabinet or the door body, for example: (1) the touch switch can send a door opening signal to the door opening sensing module when the touch switch is touched; (2) the knocking switch can send a door opening signal to the door opening sensing module when being knocked; (3) the fingerprint acquisition module acquires a fingerprint of a user when the user touches the fingerprint acquisition module with a finger, performs fingerprint comparison, and sends a door opening signal to the door opening sensing module when the comparison is passed; (4) the gesture recognition module shoots the gesture of the user firstly, determines the meaning represented by the gesture of the user by using a mode recognition algorithm, and sends a door opening signal to the door opening sensing module when the meaning is door opening.

Alternatively, when the door opening sensing module receives a door opening signal, the door opening actuator 12 is controlled to press and move the sealing member 2124 for a certain period of time, and then the door opening actuator 12 may be controlled not to contact the sealing member 2124. Here, during the period of time when the storage compartment and the external space have had sufficient air flow to equalize the air pressure in the storage compartment and the external space, the pressing of the seal 2124 may be stopped.

Preferably, a door seal assembly 22 is disposed on the door body 2, the connecting pipe 211 has an inlet 2111 and an outlet 2112, the inlet 2111 is communicated with an external space of the cabinet 1, and the outlet 2112 is communicated with a door body lining located inside the door seal assembly 22. Here, when the door body 2 is closed, the door body liner constitutes one inner wall of the storage compartment, so that the outlet 2112 communicates with the storage compartment; because the door seal assembly 22 is connected with the outer edge of the storage compartment in a sealing manner, the storage compartment is separated from the external space, and therefore the loss of cold in the storage compartment can be effectively prevented.

Preferably, the gas balancing device 21 comprises: a valve body 212 having a first port 2121, a second port 2122, and an inner cavity communicating the first and second ports, in which a sealing member 2124 and an elastic member 2125 are disposed; the first valve port 2121 is communicated with the external space, a valve seat 2123 is arranged at the second valve port 2122, one end of the valve seat 2123 is hermetically connected with the second valve port 2122, the other end of the valve seat 2123 is hermetically connected with the inlet 2111, and a through hole 21231 for communicating the second valve port 2122 with the inlet 2111 is arranged on the valve seat 2123; the two ends of the elastic member 2125 elastically press against the valve seat 2123 and the sealing member 2124, respectively, to seal the first valve port 2121 when the sealing member 2124 abuts against the first valve port 2121, otherwise not seal the first valve port 2121.

Here, at any time, both ends of the elastic member 2125 elastically press the valve seat 2123 and the seal 2124, respectively, and therefore, when no force is applied to the seal 2124 in a direction in which the first valve port 2121 faces the second valve port 2122, the seal 2124 abuts against and seals the first valve port 2121; when sufficient force is applied to the seal 2124 in a direction from the first valve port 2121 toward the second valve port 2122, the seal 2124 can no longer or incompletely abut against the first valve port 2121, and the seal 2124 can no longer seal the first valve port 2121.

Here, in the case shown in fig. 1A and 1B, the seal 2124 is pressed and moved in the direction in which the seal 2124 faces the valve seat 2123, so that the seal 2124 no longer seals the first valve port 2121, and at this time, air of the external space enters from the first valve port 2121 into the inner cavity of the valve body 212, then into the connection pipe 211 along the through hole 21231, and then into the storage compartment along the outlet 2112, so that the air pressure in the storage compartment is equalized with the air pressure of the external space; in the case shown in fig. 2A and 2B, the seal 2124 is not pressed to move in the direction in which the seal 2124 faces the valve seat 2123, and the seal 2124 seals the first valve port 2121.

As shown in fig. 1A, 1B, 2A and 2B, one end of the valve seat 2123 is covered by the second valve port 2122, and the other end is covered by the inlet 2111, where the valve body 212 may be made of a hard material (e.g., a metal material), and the connection pipe 211 may be made of a hard material or a soft material. Here, as shown in fig. 4, on the valve seat 2123, the number of the through holes 21231 may be six, and the six through holes 21231 are evenly distributed along the circumferential direction of the valve seat 2123.

Optionally, the elastic member 2125 is a spring.

Preferably, the sealing member 2124 is a sealing ball, and the cross section of the first valve port 2121 is a circle, and the diameter of the circle is smaller than that of the sealing ball. Here, since the cross-section of the first valve port 2121 is circular, the shape of the first valve port 2121 matches the shape of a sealing ball, i.e., when the sealing ball abuts against the first valve port 2121, the first valve port 2121 can be sealed; at any time, the resilient member 2125 applies pressure to the sealing member 2124 in the direction of the second valve port 2122 toward the first valve port 2121, and the sealing ball cannot pass through the first valve port 2121 because the diameter of the circle is smaller than the diameter of the sealing ball. Alternatively, the outer surface of the sealing ball may be made of a flexible material and the interior of the sealing ball may be made of a hard material.

Preferably, the cross section of the inner cavity becomes gradually larger along the direction from the first valve port 2121 to the second valve port 2122. Here, as shown in fig. 2A and 2B, when the seal 2124 is pressed, the seal 2124 does not seal the first valve port 2121 as long as it moves a short distance.

Preferably, the door opening actuator 12 is provided with a retractable push rod 121, and when the push rod 121 is extended, the push rod 121 can press and move the sealing member 2124 in a direction in which the first valve port 2121 faces the second valve port 2122. Here, when the door 2 is closed, the position of the door opening actuator 12 and the second valve port 2121 needs to be opposite, that is, when the door opening actuator 12 controls the extension of the plunger 121, the plunger 121 can press against the seal 2124. In fig. 1A, 1B, 2A and 2B, the door opening actuator 12 is mounted on the upper surface of the cabinet 1, and the first valve port 2121 is also located at the upper part of the inner lining of the door body 2, it is understood that this is only one implementation manner, and in practice, the positions of the door opening actuator 12 and the first valve port 2121 can be determined according to actual needs.

Preferably, the first valve port 2121 is disposed on a liner of the door body 2, and a direction of the first valve port 2121 toward the second valve port 2122 is perpendicular to the liner; when the seal 2124 is not depressed, a portion of the seal 2124 protrudes from the first valve port 2121; in the process that the ejector rod 121 presses and moves the sealing piece 2124, the ejector rod 121 can abut against the inner lining of the door body 2; when the door opening sensing module receives a door opening signal, the ejector rod 121 is controlled to continuously extend out and gradually increase the thrust until the door body 2 is opened.

Here, when the door body 2 is closed, one of the surfaces of the push rod 121 facing the first valve port 2121 partially faces the first valve port 2121, and the other partially faces the door body lining around the first valve port 2121, so that the push rod 121 finally abuts against the lining of the door body 2 in the process of pressing and moving the sealing member 2124 by the push rod 121, and at this time, the push rod 121 continues to apply a force or a larger force, and the door body can be opened. Alternatively, the area of the surface of the stem 121 facing the first valve port 2121 is larger than the cross-sectional area of the second valve port 2121.

Alternatively, the door body 2 may be pivotally mounted on the box body 1 through a hinge, and the door opening actuator 12 and the first valve port 2121 are disposed on the other side of the box body 1 relative to the hinge, where the push rod 121 only needs to apply a small force to the door body 2 according to the lever principle to open the door body 2.

Here, as shown in fig. 1A, 1B, 2A and 2B, the push rod 121 cannot extend into the first valve port 2121, so that when the door opening actuator 12 controls the push rod to extend, the push rod 121 presses the sealing member 2124 and moves the sealing member 2124 in the direction of the first valve port 2121 toward the second valve port 2122, during this process, air flows and the air pressure is equal between the storage compartment and the external space, finally, the push rod 121 abuts against the door body 2, and the push rod 121 is controlled to continuously apply a force to the door body 2, and finally the door body 2 is opened. In practice, in the door opening actuator 12, a motor is usually provided, and the motor provides power to the push rod 121, and since the push rod 121 only needs to apply a small force to the door body 1 to open the door body 2, the possibility of the motor stalling can be effectively reduced, and the motor can be effectively protected. Here, in the refrigerator, a door state sensor may be provided, which can acquire whether the door 2 has been opened.

Optionally, the door opening actuator 12 includes a relay and a gear ejection mechanism, and may also include a relay and a rack ejection mechanism.

Alternatively, after it is determined that the door body 2 is opened, the ejector rod 121 is controlled to contract.

Preferably, a fan is disposed at a communication position between the connection pipe 211 and the storage compartment, and when the door opening sensing module receives a door opening signal, the fan is controlled to rotate, and the fan can suck air in an external space into the storage compartment.

Preferably, the inner surface of the connection tube 211 is coated with a hydrophobic coating.

Alternatively, a water absorbing material, for example, activated carbon, etc., may be provided in the connection pipe 211.

Alternatively, a heating module may be provided in the connection pipe 211, for example, an electric heating wire wound around the connection pipe 211.

It should be understood that although the present description refers to embodiments, not every embodiment contains only a single technical solution, and such description is for clarity only, and those skilled in the art should make the description as a whole, and the technical solutions in the embodiments can also be combined appropriately to form other embodiments understood by those skilled in the art.

The above-listed detailed description is only a specific description of a possible embodiment of the present invention, and they are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention, and equivalent embodiments or modifications made without departing from the technical spirit of the present invention should be included in the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A refrigerator, characterized by comprising:

the refrigerator comprises a box body with a storage chamber and a door body for opening or closing the storage chamber;

the door body is provided with a gas balance device, the gas balance device comprises a connecting pipe used for communicating the storage compartment with the external space of the box body, a sealing piece is arranged on the gas balance device, when the sealing piece is pressed to move, the connecting pipe is opened, otherwise, the connecting pipe is blocked;

the box body is provided with a door opening actuator, and the door opening actuator can press and move or does not contact the sealing piece.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, further comprising:

and the door opening sensing module controls the door opening actuator to press and move the sealing piece when receiving a door opening signal, and otherwise, the door opening sensing module does not contact the sealing piece.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein:

the door body is provided with a door seal assembly, the connecting pipe is provided with an inlet and an outlet, the inlet is communicated with the outer space of the box body, and the outlet is communicated with a door body lining positioned on the inner side of the door seal assembly.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 3, wherein the gas balancing device comprises:

the valve comprises a valve body and a valve body, wherein the valve body is provided with a first valve port, a second valve port and an inner cavity communicated with the first valve port and the second valve port, and a sealing element and an elastic element are arranged in the inner cavity;

the first valve port is communicated with the external space, a valve seat is arranged at the second valve port, one end of the valve seat is connected with the second valve port in a sealing mode, the other end of the valve seat is connected with the inlet in a sealing mode, and a through hole communicated with the second valve port and the inlet is formed in the valve seat;

the two ends of the elastic piece respectively and elastically press the valve seat and the sealing piece, when the sealing piece presses against the first valve port, the first valve port is sealed, otherwise, the first valve port is not sealed.

5. The refrigerator of claim 4, wherein:

the sealing element is a sealing ball, the cross section of the first valve port is circular, and the diameter of the circle is smaller than that of the sealing ball.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 5, wherein:

along the direction that first valve port points to the second valve port, the cross section of inner chamber is progressively getting bigger.

7. The refrigerator of claim 4, wherein:

the door opening actuator is provided with a telescopic ejector rod, and when the ejector rod extends out, the ejector rod can press and move the sealing element in the direction from the first valve port to the second valve port.

8. The refrigerator according to claim 7, wherein:

the first valve port is arranged on the lining of the door body, and the direction of the first valve port facing the second valve port is perpendicular to the lining;

when the seal is not depressed, a portion of the seal protrudes from the first valve port; in the process that the ejector rod presses and moves the sealing element, the ejector rod can abut against the inner liner of the door body;

when the door opening sensing module receives a door opening signal, the ejector rod is controlled to continuously extend out and gradually increase the thrust until the door body is opened.

9. The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein:

the connecting pipe is communicated with the storage chamber, a fan is arranged at the communicating position of the connecting pipe and the storage chamber, when the door opening sensing module receives a door opening signal, the fan is controlled to rotate, and the fan can suck air in an external space into the storage chamber.

10. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein:

the inner surface of the connecting pipe is coated with a hydrophobic coating.