CN116696175A - Door hinge assembly of refrigerator, manufacturing method of door hinge assembly and refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

The application provides a door hinge assembly of a refrigerator, a manufacturing method of the door hinge assembly and the refrigerator. The hinge plate is used for being fixed on a refrigerator body and is provided with a through hole; the nut is arranged in the through hole, and the inner side wall of the nut is provided with a first thread section with a first length extending along the axis direction of the first thread section; the shaft body comprises a first part and a second part which are connected, the first part is used for being matched with a door body of the refrigerator so that the door body is rotationally connected with the refrigerator, the second part comprises a first limiting part, a threaded part and a second limiting part which are integrally formed, the threaded part is located between the first limiting part and the second limiting part, a second thread section of a second length extending along the axis direction of the nut is arranged, the threaded part is used for being in threaded connection with the nut, the second length is longer than the first length, and the first limiting part and the second limiting part are used for being matched with the nut so as to limit the movement of the second part along the axis direction of the nut. The door hinge assembly provided by the application has few parts and stable structure.

Description

Door hinge assembly of refrigerator, manufacturing method of door hinge assembly and refrigerator

Technical Field

The application belongs to the technical field of refrigerators, and particularly relates to a door hinge assembly of a refrigerator, a manufacturing method of the door hinge assembly and the refrigerator.

Background

Along with the increasing living standard, the multifunctional demands of the refrigerator are gradually increased. The multi-door refrigerator has a plurality of storage compartments, so that the multi-door refrigerator has the advantages of large capacity and multiple functions, and is gradually popularized in the market.

However, the problem of unequal heights of the door bodies is increasingly pronounced in multi-door refrigerators because of the large number of door bodies. The unequal heights of the door bodies not only affect the appearance of the refrigerator, but also cause insufficient edges of the door sealing strips of the door bodies of the refrigerator and the refrigerator body of the refrigerator, affect the heat preservation effect of the refrigerator, and cause condensation of the refrigerator and frosting in the refrigerator body under high-temperature and high-humidity environments. Existing door hinges capable of adjusting the door height generally have the problems of complex structure and easy part falling after assembly.

Disclosure of Invention

The embodiment of the application provides a door hinge assembly of a refrigerator, a manufacturing method of the door hinge assembly and the refrigerator, and can solve the problems that an existing door hinge structure capable of adjusting the door height is complex and assembly stability is poor.

A door hinge assembly of a refrigerator, comprising:

the hinge plate is used for being fixed on the refrigerator body of the refrigerator and is provided with a through hole;

the nut is arranged in the through hole, and the inner side wall of the nut is provided with a first thread section with a first length extending along the axial direction of the nut;

the shaft body comprises a first part and a second part which are connected, wherein the first part is used for being matched with the door body of the refrigerator so that the door body is rotationally connected with the refrigerator, the second part comprises a first limiting part, a screw connection part and a second limiting part which are integrally formed, the screw connection part is located between the first limiting part and the second limiting part, a second thread section with a second length extending along the axis direction of the nut is arranged, the screw connection part is used for being in screw connection with the nut, the second length is longer than the first length, and the first limiting part and the second limiting part are used for being matched with the nut so as to limit the movement of the second part along the axis direction of the nut.

In some embodiments, a limit groove is arranged on one side of the hinge plate, and a protruding part is arranged on the outer wall of the nut;

the protruding part is clamped in the limiting groove so as to limit the movement of the nut relative to the hinge plate.

In some embodiments, the limit groove comprises a bottom wall, and a first side wall and a second side wall opposite to each other;

the protrusion includes a first outer wall, and second and third opposing outer walls;

the first outer wall is abutted with the bottom wall so as to limit the movement of the nut in the axial direction, the second outer wall is abutted with the first side wall, and the third outer wall is abutted with the second side wall so as to limit the rotation of the nut in the diameter direction.

In some embodiments, the protruding portion is semi-circular, and the limit groove matches the shape of the protruding portion.

In some embodiments, the nut includes first and second segments connected to each other, the second segment having an inner diameter greater than an inner diameter of the first segment;

the first section comprises a first inner side wall, the second section comprises a second inner side wall, the first inner side wall is connected with the second inner side wall through a third inner side wall, the first inner side wall is provided with the first thread section, and an accommodating space is formed by surrounding the second inner side wall;

the second limiting part is accommodated in the accommodating space, and the surface of the second limiting part, which faces the third inner side wall, is used for abutting against the third inner side wall so as to limit the movement of the second part along the axis direction of the nut.

In some embodiments, the first stop is further configured to support the door.

In some embodiments, the door hinge assembly of the refrigerator further includes a reinforcing rib detachably installed between the first limiting part and the hinge plate.

In some embodiments, the first limiting portion has a polygonal cross section in the diameter direction of the shaft body.

A refrigerator, comprising:

a case;

a door body;

the door hinge assembly described above.

The manufacturing method of the door hinge assembly comprises a hinge plate, a nut and a shaft body, wherein the hinge plate is provided with a through hole, the shaft body comprises a first part and a second part, the first part is used for being matched with a refrigerator door body so as to enable the refrigerator door body to be rotationally connected with the refrigerator door body, the second part comprises a first end and a second end which are opposite, the first end is provided with a first limiting part, and a thread section is arranged between the first end and the second end; the manufacturing method comprises the following steps:

penetrating the nut into the through hole;

screwing the second portion with the nut and extending the second end out of the nut;

and shaping the second end so as to deform the second end to form a second limiting part, wherein the first limiting part and the second limiting part are used for being matched with the nut so as to limit the movement of the second part along the axis direction of the nut.

Compared with the existing refrigerator door hinge assembly, the refrigerator door hinge assembly and the manufacturing method thereof provided by the embodiment of the application have the advantages that the parts are not easy to separate, the parts are few, the consumption is low, and the structural connection is firm. The door hinge assembly can adjust the height of the first part relative to the hinge plate through the rotating shaft body, so that the height of the door body relative to the refrigerator body is adjusted, the left door body and the right door body of the refrigerator can be equal in height, and the attractive appearance and the refrigerating effect of the refrigerator are prevented from being influenced. And through setting up first spacing portion and second spacing portion in order to restrict the motion distance of second part along the axis, can prevent that the axis body from excessively rotating and coming off from the flap for install again difficultly, influence user's use experience.

Drawings

In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application, the drawings that are required to be used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly described below. It is evident that the figures in the following description are only some embodiments of the application, from which other figures can be obtained without inventive effort for a person skilled in the art.

For a more complete understanding of the present application and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the following description.

Fig. 1 is a schematic structural view of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 2 is a schematic structural view of a door hinge assembly according to an embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 3 is an exploded view of the door hinge assembly shown in fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a schematic structural view of a hinge plate and a nut according to an embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 5 is a schematic structural diagram of a shaft body according to an embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a nut provided by an embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a door hinge assembly provided in an embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 8 is a flowchart of a method for manufacturing a door hinge assembly according to an embodiment of the present application.

Detailed Description

The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present application. It will be apparent that the described embodiments are only some, but not all, embodiments of the application. All other embodiments, which can be made by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the application without making any inventive effort, are intended to fall within the scope of the application.

The embodiment of the application provides a refrigerator, which can be a side-by-side refrigerator, a French refrigerator and the like with a left door and a right door. Such refrigerators generally have the advantages of large capacity, beautiful appearance and multiple functions. Especially, the French refrigerator has the advantages of large refrigerating and freezing space, energy separating capability, small and exquisite appearance and space saving, so that the French refrigerator becomes one of the most popular types of refrigerators in the market.

Referring to fig. 1, fig. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present application. The refrigerator 1 includes a cabinet 10, a door 20, and a door hinge assembly 30.

The cabinet 10 is provided with a storage compartment such as a freezing compartment, a refrigerating compartment, or a wide-width variable temperature compartment. Of course, in some alternative embodiments, the storage compartment may also be some thawing compartment or sterilizing compartment with thawing function, which is not limited in this embodiment of the present application. The door 20 is used to open or close the storage compartment of the case 10. Wherein the door body 20 may be hinged to the case body 10 by a door hinge assembly 30. Specifically, door hinge assemblies 30 may be provided at the upper and lower portions of the case 10, and the door 20 may be smoothly rotated by being engaged with the door 20 through the hinge at the upper portion of the case 10 and the hinge at the lower portion of the case 10.

Referring to fig. 2-3, fig. 2 is a schematic structural diagram of a door hinge assembly according to an embodiment of the application. Fig. 3 is an exploded view of the door hinge assembly shown in fig. 2. The door hinge assembly 30 includes a hinge plate 310, a nut 320, and a shaft 330.

The hinge plate 310 is used for being fixed on the refrigerator body 10, and a through hole 311 is formed in the hinge plate 310. The through hole 311 extends, for example, in the first direction Z. Specifically, the hinge plate 310 includes, for example, a first mounting plate 312 and a second mounting plate 313 connected in a bending manner. The first mounting plate 312 extends in the first direction Z and is used for being fixed to the refrigerator body 10, for example, by being fixed to the refrigerator body 10 by a screw connection. The second mounting plate 313 is perpendicular to the first mounting plate 312. The second mounting plate 313 is provided with a through hole 311.

The nut 320 is inserted into the through hole 311, and a first thread segment having a first length extending in an axial direction (a first direction Z) of the inner sidewall of the nut 320 is provided. The nut 320 may be a round nut, a hexagonal nut, an anti-rotation nut, etc.

The shaft 330 is, for example, of unitary construction, including a first portion 331 and a second portion 332 connected to each other and extending in a first direction Z. The first portion 331 is configured to cooperate with the door 20 to rotatably connect the door 20 to the case 10. The second portion 332 includes a first limiting portion 3321, a threaded portion 3322, and a second limiting portion 3323. The first limiting portion 3321, the threaded portion 3322, and the second limiting portion 3323 are integrally formed, for example. The threaded portion 3322 is located between the first and second limiting portions 3321 and 3323. The screw portion 3322 is provided with a second screw thread section 3324 of a second length extending in the axial direction (first direction Z) of the nut 320 for screw-coupling with the nut 320. Wherein the second length is longer than the first length. The first and second limiting portions 3321 and 3323 are configured to cooperate with the nut 320 to limit movement of the second portion 332 along the axial direction (first direction Z) of the nut 320.

It will be appreciated that since the second length is longer than the first length, the shaft 330 can be rotated to move the second portion 332 in the first direction Z, thereby moving the first portion 331 in the first direction Z. However, when the door hinge assembly 30 is mounted to the door body 20, the case 10, the first direction Z is the same as the direction in which the height of the door body 20 extends, and thus, by moving the first portion 331 in the first direction Z, the door body 20 can be moved in the height direction thereof, thereby adjusting the height of the door body 20.

In practical applications, when an installer or a user finds that the left and right door bodies 20 of the refrigerator 1 are not equal in height, the door bodies 20 can be slightly lifted, and then the shaft 330 is rotated to adjust the height of the first portion 331 relative to the hinge plate 310, and then the height of the door bodies 20 relative to the refrigerator body 10 after being put down is adjusted, so that the left and right door bodies 20 of the refrigerator 1 can be equal in height through adjustment of the hinge assembly 30.

Compared with the existing door hinge assembly, the door hinge assembly 30 provided by the embodiment of the application has only three parts, is not easy to separate, and has the advantages of fewer parts, less material consumption and firm structural connection. The door hinge assembly 30 can adjust the height of the first portion 331 relative to the hinge plate 310 through the rotation shaft 330, so that the height of the door 20 relative to the case 10 is adjusted, the left and right door bodies of the refrigerator can be equal in height, and the aesthetic degree and the refrigerating effect of the refrigerator are prevented from being affected. In addition, by providing the first limiting portion 3321 and the second limiting portion 3323 to limit the movement distance of the second portion 3322 along the axis, the shaft 330 can be prevented from being excessively rotated to be separated from the hinge plate 310, so that reinstallation is difficult, and user experience is affected.

Further, referring to fig. 4, fig. 4 is a schematic structural view of a hinge plate and a nut according to an embodiment of the application. One side of the second mounting plate 313 of the hinge plate 310 is provided with a limiting groove 314. The outer wall of the nut 320 is provided with a protrusion 322. The protruding portion 322 is engaged in the limiting groove 314 to limit the rotation of the nut 320 relative to the hinge plate 310.

Illustratively, the limiting groove 314 includes a bottom wall 3141 and opposing first and second side walls 3142, 3143. Wherein the bottom wall 3141 may be perpendicular to the first direction Z, and the first side wall 3142 and the second side wall 3143 may be parallel to the first direction Z. The projection 322 includes a first outer wall 3221, a second outer wall 3222, and a third outer wall 3223. Wherein the first outer wall 3221 may be perpendicular to the first direction Z, and the second outer wall 3222 and the third outer wall 3223 may be parallel to the first direction Z. The first outer wall 3221 abuts against the bottom wall 3141 to restrict movement of the nut 320 in the axial direction (first direction Z) thereof, the second outer wall 3222 abuts against the first side wall 3142, and the third outer wall 3223 abuts against the second side wall 3143 to restrict rotation of the nut 320 in the diameter direction thereof. By this arrangement, the nut 320 is not easily detached from the hinge plate 310.

The protrusion 322 may have a semi-circular shape and surrounds the outer sidewall of the nut 320. The retaining groove 314 matches the shape of the projection 322. Through this setting mode, can guarantee that protruding portion 322 self has stronger structural strength to and guarantee the firm degree of outer wall connection of nut 320, prevent protruding portion 322 atress by the rupture, thereby improve the quality of product.

In some embodiments, the outer wall of the nut 320 may be further provided in a concave-convex structure to increase surface friction, thereby preventing the nut 320 from falling off from the hinge plate 310 to improve the quality of the refrigerator.

Referring to fig. 5, fig. 5 is a schematic structural diagram of a shaft body according to an embodiment of the present application.

The first limiting portion 3321 is connected to the first portion 331, and may have a polygonal cross section in a radial direction, for example, a regular octagon or a regular hexagon. The first limiting portion 3321 and the screw portion 3322 may be coaxially disposed. By this arrangement, a user can easily grip the first limiting portion 3321 with a tool such as a wrench and then apply a force to the wrench to rotate the shaft body 330.

The first limiting portion 3321 is also used for supporting a door 20 of a refrigerator, for example. In some embodiments, door hinge assembly 30 further includes a stiffener (not shown). The reinforcing rib is detachably arranged between the first limiting portion 3321 and the hinge plate 310 and is used for supporting the first limiting portion 3321 so as to strengthen the structural strength of the first limiting portion 3321. The reinforcing ribs can be made of silica gel, plastic or metal.

The second limiting portion 3323 is disposed at an end far from the first portion 331, and the second limiting portion 3323 has a cylindrical shape coaxial with the threaded portion 3322, for example, and an outer diameter thereof is larger than an outer diameter of the threaded portion 3322.

In some embodiments, referring to fig. 6-7, fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a nut provided by an embodiment of the present application, and fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a door hinge assembly provided by an embodiment of the present application. The nut 320 includes a first section 323 and a second section 324 that are connected to each other. The inner diameter of the second section 324 is greater than the inner diameter of the first section 323.

The first section 323 includes a first inner sidewall 3231 and the second section 324 includes a second inner sidewall 3241. The first inner side wall 3231 and the second inner side wall 3241 are engaged by the third inner side wall 3232. Wherein, the first inner sidewall 3231 is provided with a first thread portion 321. The second inner sidewall 3241 is surrounded with an accommodation space 3242. The second stopper 3323 is accommodated in the accommodating space 3242. The surface of the second limiting portion 3323 facing the third inner sidewall 3232 is for abutting against the third inner sidewall 3232 to limit the movement of the second portion 332 along the axial direction of the nut 320. By this arrangement, the second limiting portion 3323 is not exposed to the outside, the service life of the second limiting portion 3323 is prolonged, and the overall aesthetic degree of the door hinge assembly 30 is improved.

Compared with the existing door hinge assembly, the refrigerator and the door hinge assembly of the refrigerator provided by the embodiment of the application have the advantages that the parts are difficult to separate, the parts are few, the consumption is low, and the structural connection is firm. The door hinge assembly 30 can clamp the first limiting portion 3321 by using a tool to more conveniently rotate the shaft 330 so as to adjust the height of the first portion 331 relative to the hinge plate 310, thereby adjusting the height of the door 20 relative to the case 10, so that the left and right door bodies of the refrigerator can be equal in height, and the aesthetic degree and the refrigerating effect of the refrigerator are prevented from being affected. In addition, by providing the first limiting portion 3321 and the second limiting portion 3323 to limit the movement distance of the second portion 3322 along the axis, the shaft 330 can be prevented from being excessively rotated to be separated from the hinge plate 310, so that reinstallation is difficult, and user experience is affected.

The embodiment of the application also provides a manufacturing method of the door hinge assembly of the refrigerator, referring to fig. 8, fig. 8 is a flow chart of the manufacturing method of the door hinge assembly provided by the embodiment of the application. The door hinge assembly comprises a hinge plate, a nut and a shaft body, wherein the hinge plate is provided with a through hole, the shaft body comprises a first part and a second part, the first part is used for being matched with a door body of the refrigerator so as to enable the door body to be rotationally connected with the refrigerator, the second part comprises a first end and a second end which are opposite, the first end is provided with a first limiting part, and a thread section is arranged between the first end and the second end; the manufacturing method comprises the following steps of S101-S103:

step S101: threading the nut into the through hole;

step S102: screwing the second portion with the nut such that the second end extends beyond the nut;

it should be noted that the second portion should be screwed with the nut from the second end.

Step S103: and processing the second end to deform the second end to form a second limiting part, wherein the first limiting part and the second limiting part are used for being matched with the nut so as to limit the movement of the second part along the axis direction of the nut.

It will be appreciated that the shaft may be of a metallic material having a relatively high hardness but which may be shaped. In some embodiments, the protruding portion of the second end may be fixed in a diameter direction thereof, and then the end surface of the second end may be pressed toward the first end, so that the end of the second end becomes thicker, and the place where the second end becomes thicker becomes the second limiting portion. It will be appreciated that the outer diameter of the second stop portion is greater than the inner diameter of the portion of the nut provided with the threaded section. Therefore, when the shaft body rotates anticlockwise to enable the second limiting part to move towards the part of the nut provided with the threaded section, the second limiting part cannot penetrate through the part of the nut provided with the threaded section because the diameter of the second limiting part is larger, so that the effect of preventing the shaft body from falling off from the hinge plate is achieved.

The manufacturing method of the hinge plate assembly provided by the embodiment of the application has the advantages of simple process, few parts, less material consumption and firm structure.

The door hinge assembly of the refrigerator, the manufacturing method thereof and the refrigerator provided by the embodiment of the application are described in detail, and specific examples are applied to the description of the principle and the implementation mode of the application, and the description of the above examples is only used for helping to understand the method and the core idea of the application; meanwhile, as those skilled in the art will vary in the specific embodiments and application scope according to the ideas of the present application, the present description should not be construed as limiting the present application in summary.

Claims (10)

1. A door hinge assembly of a refrigerator, comprising:

the hinge plate is used for being fixed on the refrigerator body of the refrigerator and is provided with a through hole;

the nut is arranged in the through hole, and the inner side wall of the nut is provided with a first thread section with a first length extending along the axial direction of the nut;

the shaft body comprises a first part and a second part which are connected, wherein the first part is used for being matched with the door body of the refrigerator so that the door body is rotationally connected with the refrigerator, the second part comprises a first limiting part, a screw connection part and a second limiting part, the screw connection part is located between the first limiting part and the second limiting part, a second thread section with a second length extending along the axis direction of the nut is arranged, the screw connection part is used for being in screw connection with the nut, the second length is longer than the first length, and the first limiting part and the second limiting part are used for being matched with the nut so as to limit the movement of the second part along the axis direction of the nut.

2. The door hinge assembly of a refrigerator as claimed in claim 1, wherein one side of the hinge plate is provided with a limit groove, and an outer wall of the nut is provided with a protrusion;

the protruding part is clamped in the limiting groove so as to limit the movement of the nut relative to the hinge plate.

3. The door hinge assembly of a refrigerator as claimed in claim 2, wherein the limiting groove includes a bottom wall and opposite first and second side walls;

the protrusion includes a first outer wall, and second and third opposing outer walls;

the first outer wall is abutted with the bottom wall so as to limit the movement of the nut in the axial direction, the second outer wall is abutted with the first side wall, and the third outer wall is abutted with the second side wall so as to limit the rotation of the nut in the diameter direction.

4. The door hinge assembly of the refrigerator as claimed in claim 3, wherein the protrusion has a semicircular shape, and the limit groove is matched with the protrusion in shape.

5. The refrigerator door hinge assembly of any of claims 1-4, wherein the nut includes first and second sections connected to each other, an inner diameter of the second section being greater than an inner diameter of the first section;

the first section comprises a first inner side wall, the second section comprises a second inner side wall, the first inner side wall is connected with the second inner side wall through a third inner side wall, the first inner side wall is provided with the first thread section, and an accommodating space is formed by surrounding the second inner side wall;

the second limiting part is accommodated in the accommodating space, and the surface of the second limiting part, which faces the third inner side wall, is used for abutting against the third inner side wall so as to limit the movement of the second part along the axis direction of the nut.

6. The door hinge assembly of a refrigerator as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the first stopper is further for supporting the door body.

7. The door hinge assembly of a refrigerator as claimed in claim 6, further comprising a reinforcing rib detachably installed between the first stopper and the hinge plate.

8. The door hinge assembly of a refrigerator as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a cross section of the first stopper in a diameter direction of the shaft body is polygonal.

9. A refrigerator, comprising:

a case;

a door body;

the door hinge assembly of any one of claims 1-8.

10. The manufacturing method of the door hinge assembly is characterized in that the door hinge assembly comprises a hinge plate, a nut and a shaft body, wherein the hinge plate is provided with a through hole, the shaft body comprises a first part and a second part, the first part is used for being matched with a door body of the refrigerator so as to enable the door body to be rotationally connected with the refrigerator, the second part comprises a first end and a second end which are opposite, the first end is provided with a first limiting part, and a thread section is arranged between the first end and the second end; the manufacturing method comprises the following steps:

penetrating the nut into the through hole;

screwing the second portion with the nut and extending the second end out of the nut;

and shaping the second end so as to deform the second end to form a second limiting part, wherein the first limiting part and the second limiting part are used for being matched with the nut so as to limit the movement of the second part along the axis direction of the nut.