EP4632298A1

EP4632298A1 - Refrigerator

Info

Publication number: EP4632298A1
Application number: EP23900023.5A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Yong Lu; Lihua ZUO; Zhenyu Zhao; Jun Zhang; Wenchao XUE; Hao Wang
Original assignee: Qingdao Haier Refrigerator Co Ltd; Haier Smart Home Co Ltd
Current assignee: Qingdao Haier Refrigerator Co Ltd; Haier Smart Home Co Ltd
Priority date: 2022-12-07
Filing date: 2023-12-06
Publication date: 2025-10-15
Also published as: WO2024120449A1; CN118149535A; EP4632298A4

Abstract

A refrigerator (1). A wind shield(4) is disposed at an end of the ice maker close to the air inlet (32) of the refrigerator(1). The air inlet (32) comprises a first portion facing the ice maker (5) and a second portion not shielded by the ice maker(5). The wind shield (4) shields at least a portion of the second portion. A first air duct(34) between the side wall of the ice maker(5) and the side wall of the ice-making chamber (31) communicates with a second air duct (35) between the wind shield (4) and the side wall of the ice-making chamber (31). The advantageous effect is: it can improve the utilization rate of cold air entering from the air inlet (32) and enhance the ice-making efficiency of the ice maker(5).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present application refers to a field of household appliances, particularly to a refrigerator.

BACKGROUND

To meet users' daily ice needs, an ice-making chamber is generally provided on the fresh food compartment door of a refrigerator. An ice maker is installed inside the ice-making chamber, which comprises an ice-making tray that can hold water and form it into ice cubes. The side wall of the ice-making chamber is provided with an air inlet for delivering cold air into the ice-making chamber and an air return port for discharging cold air from the ice-making chamber. The air inlet faces the ice maker to enable heat exchange between the cold air entering the ice-making chamber and the water in the ice maker. However, this design has the following deficiency: the utilization rate of cold air at the air inlet is low, which affects the heat exchange efficiency of the ice maker.

SUMMARY

The present application provides a refrigerator, which, by arranging a wind baffle at the air inlet end of the ice maker and forming an air duct with the portion of the air inlet not blocked by the ice maker, can improve the utilization rate of cold air entering from the air inlet and enhance the ice-making efficiency of the ice maker.
An embodiment of the present application provides a refrigerator, comprising a door, an ice-making chamber disposed in the door, and an ice maker disposed in the ice-making chamber, wherein the ice-making chamber has a side wall provided with an air inlet and an air return port, the air inlet is disposed at a side of the ice maker, characterized in that a wind shield is disposed at an end of the ice maker close to the air inlet, the air inlet comprises a first portion facing the ice maker and a second portion not blocked by the ice maker, the wind shield shields at least a portion of the second portion, a first air duct is formed between a side wall of the ice maker and the side wall of the ice-making chamber, a second air duct is formed between the wind shield and the side wall of the ice-making chamber, and the first air duct communicates with the second air duct.
In an embodiment of the present application, characterized in that a front wall of the air inlet is disposed closer to an opening side of the ice-making chamber relative to a front wall of the ice maker, and the wind shield shields at least a portion of a front part of the air inlet.
In an embodiment of the present application, characterized in that a lower wall of the air inlet is disposed below a lower wall of the ice maker, and the wind shield shields at least a portion of a lower part of the air inlet.
In an embodiment of the present application, characterized in that the wind shield comprises a first wind shield plate connected to the side wall of the ice-making chamber, the first wind shield plate extends from the front wall of the air inlet to the front wall at the air inlet end of the ice maker, and the first wind shield plate shields at least a portion of the front part of the air inlet.
In an embodiment of the present application, characterized in that the wind shield comprises a second wind shield plate connected to the side wall of the ice-making chamber, the second wind shield plate extends from the lower wall of the air inlet to the lower wall at the air inlet end of the ice maker, and the second wind shield plate shields at least a portion of the lower part of the air inlet.
In an embodiment of the present application, characterized in that an ice storage box is disposed below the ice maker, and a side wall of the ice storage box at a front side of the ice maker extends upward and shields at least a portion of the air inlet to form the wind shield.
In an embodiment of the present application, characterized in that the wind shield comprises a second wind shield plate connected to the side wall of the ice-making chamber, the second wind shield plate extends from the lower wall of the air inlet to the lower wall at the air inlet end of the ice maker, and the second wind shield plate shields at least a portion of the lower part of the air inlet.
In an embodiment of the present application, characterized in that an ice storage box is disposed below the ice maker, and a side wall of the ice storage box at a front side of the ice maker extends upward and shields at least a portion of the air inlet to form the wind shield.
In an embodiment of the present application, characterized in that an ice storage box is disposed below the ice maker, and a side wall of the ice storage box below the ice maker extends upward to the bottom wall of the ice maker and shields at least a portion of the lower part of the air inlet to form the wind shield.
In an embodiment of the present application, characterized in that the ice maker comprises an ice-making tray, an air guide disposed below the ice-making tray, and a heating wire disposed between the ice-making tray and the air guide, the air guide has an air guide port facing the air inlet, and the wind shield shields the outside of the air guide port, or the air guide port is provided with an electric shock protection grid.
In an embodiment of the present application, characterized in that the door comprises a door shell disposed outside the ice-making chamber, an insulation space for filling insulation material is provided between the door shell and the side wall of the ice-making chamber, the side wall of the ice-making chamber is provided with a first recessed portion recessed toward the door shell, the ice maker is partially disposed in the first recessed portion, the air inlet is disposed in the first recessed portion, the first recessed portion comprises a main wall and an inclined peripheral wall connecting the main wall and the side wall of the ice-making chamber, and the air inlet is at least partially disposed in the peripheral wall of the first recessed portion.
In an embodiment of the present application, characterized in that the door shell is provided with a first opening cooperating with the air inlet, an air duct component forming an air inlet duct is disposed between the air inlet and the first opening, the air duct component comprises a connection plate connected to the first recessed portion, and the connection plate is snap-fitted to the main wall and the peripheral wall of the first recessed portion.
In an embodiment of the present application, characterized in that the connection plate is located in the insulation space, and the first recessed portion is provided with a flange covering an outer edge of the connection plate.
In an embodiment of the present application, characterized in that the side wall of the ice-making chamber opposite to the first recessed portion is provided with a second recessed portion recessed outward, the ice maker is partially disposed in the second recessed portion, a third recessed portion recessed outward is provided in the top wall of the ice-making chamber at the side of the second recessed portion, the ice maker is partially disposed in the third recessed portion, and the recessed depth of the second recessed portion is smaller than that of the first recessed portion.
In an embodiment of the present application, characterized in that the ice maker comprises an ice-making tray and an air guide disposed below the ice-making tray, the air guide has an air guide port facing the air inlet, the first wind shield plate is provided with a plurality of air guide ribs extending obliquely from the air inlet to the air guide port, and the wind shield is fixedly connected to the side wall of the ice-making chamber through threaded connectors.
Compared with the prior art, by arranging a wind baffle at the air inlet end of the ice maker and forming an air duct with the portion of the air inlet not blocked by the ice maker, the present application has the following advantageous effects: it can improve the utilization rate of cold air entering from the air inlet and enhance the ice-making efficiency of the ice maker.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a structural schematic view of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present application;
Figure 2 is a structural schematic view of the door on the ice-making chamber side shown in Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a structural schematic view of the ice-making chamber at the air inlet side of the door after removing the ice storage box shown in Figure 2;
Figure 4 is a structural schematic view of the ice-making chamber at the air inlet side of the door after removing the air guide shown in Figure 3;
Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view at the air inlet of the door shown in Figure 3;
Figure 6 is a structural schematic view of the air guide shown in Figure 3;
Figure 7 is a partial structural schematic view of the ice maker shown in Figure 3;
Figure 8 is a structural schematic view of the door of the ice-making chamber away from the air inlet side shown in Figure 3;
Figure 9 is a structural schematic view of the door after removing the front door shell shown in Figure 3;
Figure 10 is a structural schematic view of the ice-making chamber shown in Figure 2;
Figure 11 is a structural schematic view of the ice storage box shown in Figure 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

The following detailed description of the present application will be made with reference to the specific embodiments shown in the drawings. However, these embodiments do not limit the present application, and any structural, methodological, or functional variations made by those skilled in the art based on these embodiments are comprised within the scope of protection of the present application.
Referring to Figures 1 to 5, in the first embodiment of the present application, a refrigerator 1 comprise a door 3, an ice-making chamber 31 disposed in the door 3, and an ice maker 5 disposed in the ice-making chamber 31. A side wall of the ice-making chamber 31 is provided with an air inlet 32 and an air return port 33, the air inlet 32 is disposed at one side of the ice maker 5.
The refrigerator 1 may comprise a cabinet 2. A refrigerating chamber 21 and a freezing chamber is provided inside the cabinet 2. The door 3 is pivotally mounted on the cabinet 2 for opening and closing the refrigerating chamber 21. An evaporator chamber for supplying cold air to the ice-making chamber 31 is provided at the rear wall of the refrigerating chamber 21, and an evaporator and a fan may be disposed in the evaporator chamber.
An air inlet duct 22 is provided between the air inlet 32 and the evaporator chamber, and an air return duct 23 is provided between the air return port 33 and the evaporator chamber. Cold air in the evaporator chamber flows into the ice-making chamber 31 through the air inlet duct 22 from the air inlet 32, and cold air in the ice-making chamber 31 flows back to the evaporator chamber from the air return port 33 through the air return duct 23.
A wind shield 4 is disposed at an end of the ice maker 5 close to the air inlet. The air inlet 32 comprise a first portion facing the ice maker 5 and a second portion not shielded by the ice maker 5. The wind shield 4 shield s at least a portion of the second portion. A first air duct 34 is formed between the side wall of the ice maker 5 and the side wall of the ice-making chamber 31, a second air duct 35 is formed between the wind shield 4 and the side wall of the ice-making chamber 31, and the first air duct 34 communicates with the second air duct 35.
Since the size of door 3 of the refrigerator 1 is limited, the space of the ice-making chamber 31 is limited. To ensure sufficient cold air supply from the evaporator chamber to the ice-making chamber 31, the air inlet 32 needs to meet certain size requirements, and the installation position of the air inlet 32 needs to coordinate with other structures of the door 3. Therefore, the air inlet 32 may not be completely aligned with the ice maker 5, causing cold air entering from the portion of the air inlet 32 not shielded by the ice maker 5 to diffuse into the ice-making chamber 31 without cooling the ice maker 5, affecting the ice-making efficiency of the ice maker 5.
By providing the wind shield 4, the wind shield 4partially shields the second portion not shielded by the ice maker 5, and the wind shield 4 forms a second air duct 35 communicating with the first air duct 34 of the ice maker 5, the second air duct 35 can effectively prevent cold air entering from the air inlet 32 from directly diffusing into the ice-making chamber 31, ensuring sufficient heat exchange between the cold air and water in the ice maker 5, thereby improving the ice-making efficiency of the ice maker 5.
The ice maker 5 may be spaced apart from the rear wall of the ice-making chamber 31, forming a third air duct 36 between the rear wall of the ice maker 5 and the rear wall of the ice-making chamber 31. The third air duct 36 communicates with the first air duct 34 and the second air duct 35. Cold air entering from the air inlet 32 can flow through the side walls and rear wall of the ice maker 5 via the first air duct 34, second air duct 35, and third air duct 36, to supply cold air to the ice maker 5.
Therefore, this arrangement can effectively prevent cold air entering from the air inlet 32 from directly diffusing into the ice-making chamber 31, ensure cold supply to the ice maker 5, improve the utilization rate of cold air entering from the air inlet, enhance the ice-making efficiency of the ice maker 5, increase the compatibility between the ice maker 5 and structures such as the ice-making chamber 31, air inlet 32, and air inlet duct 22, enabling the same size ice maker 5 to be suitable for various sizes of ice-making chambers 31, achieving modularization of the ice maker 5 and reducing production costs.
Referring to Figures 3 to 5, furthermore, in this embodiment, the front wall of the air inlet 32 is disposed closer to the opening side of the ice-making chamber 31 relative to the front wall of the ice maker 5, and the wind shield 4 shield s at least a portion of the front part of the air inlet 32.
To effectively utilize the space of the ice-making chamber 31, the ice maker 5 is generally positioned near the top wall and rear wall of the ice-making chamber 31, resulting in the ice maker 5 typically being located in the upper and rear portions of the ice-making chamber 31. To ensure the size of the air inlet 32, facilitate the installation of the air inlet 32, and accommodate the installation of components forming the air inlet duct 22, the air inlet 32 is disposed in the middle portion of the side wall of the ice-making chamber 31.
The ice maker 5 may shield the rear portion of the air inlet 32 and form the first air duct 34. The wind shield 4 may shield the front portion of the air inlet 32 and form the second air duct 35. The second air duct 35 communicates with the first air duct 34, allowing cold air entering from the front portion of the air inlet 32 to enter the first air duct 34 through the second air duct 35.
This arrangement can effectively prevent cold air entering from the air inlet 32 from directly diffusing into the ice-making chamber 31, ensure cold air supply to the ice maker 5, improve ice-making efficiency, ensure proper sizing of the air inlet 32, facilitate the installation of the air inlet 32 and the installation of components forming the air inlet duct 22, and increase compatibility between the ice maker 5 and structures such as the ice-making chamber 31, air inlet 32, and air inlet duct 22.
Referring to Figures 3 to 5, furthermore, in this embodiment, the lower wall of the air inlet 32 is disposed below the lower wall of the ice maker 5, and the wind shield 4 shields at least a portion of the lower part of the air inlet 32.
Since the ice maker 5 is located in the upper portion of the ice-making chamber 31, the upper wall of the air inlet 32 may be positioned near the top wall of the ice-making chamber 31. To ensure the size of the air inlet 32, facilitate the installation of the air inlet 32, and accommodate the installation of components forming the air inlet duct 22, the lower wall of the air inlet 32 may be positioned below the lower wall of the ice maker 5.
The ice maker 5 may shield the upper portion of the air inlet 32 and form the first air duct 34, the wind shield 4 may shield the lower portion of the air inlet 32 and form the second air duct 35. The second air duct 35 communicates with the first air duct 34, allowing cold air entering from the lower portion of the air inlet 32 to enter the first air duct 34 through the second air duct 35.
This arrangement can effectively prevent cold air entering from the air inlet 32 from directly diffusing into the ice-making chamber 31, ensure cold supply to the ice maker 5, improve its ice-making efficiency, ensure proper sizing of the air inlet 32, facilitate the installation of air inlet 32 and the installation of components forming the air inlet duct 22, and increase compatibility between the ice maker 5 and structures such as the ice-making chamber 31, air inlet 32, and air inlet duct 22.
Referring to Figures 3 to 6, furthermore, in this embodiment, the wind shield 4 may comprise a first wind shield plate 41 connected to the side wall of the ice-making chamber 31, the first wind shield plate 41 extends from the front wall of the air inlet 32 to the front wall at the air inlet end of the ice maker 5, and shields at least a portion of the front part of the air inlet 32.
The wind shield 4 may be a detachable independent component. The connection structure for fixing the wind shield 4 may be located on the side wall, top wall, or rear wall of the ice-making chamber 31, or alternatively, on the ice maker 5.
The first wind shield plate 41 may contact with the front side of the ice maker 5 to facilitate positioning and limiting of the first wind shield plate 41. The first wind shield plate 41 may contact with the side wall of the ice-making chamber 31. The first wind shield plate 41 is vertically arranged along the up-down direction of the ice maker 5. The upper end of the first wind shield plate 41 may extend higher than the upper end of the air inlet 32, and lower end of the first wind shield plate 41 may extend below the lower wall of the air inlet 32 to fully shield the air inlet 32. This ensures cold air entering from the air inlet 32 flows into the first air duct 34, minimizing direct diffusion into the ice-making chamber 31.
The upper end of the first wind shield plate 41 may directly abut against the top wall of the ice-making chamber 31, which not only blocks cold air diffusion but also facilitates installation of the wind shield 4, enhancing installation stability and preventing wobbling.
This arrangement effectively prevents cold air entering from the air inlet 32 from directly diffusing into the ice-making chamber 31, ensures cold supply to the ice maker 5, improves ice-making efficiency, and features simple structure and easy installation.
Referring to Figures 3 to 6, furthermore, in this embodiment, the wind shield 4 may comprise a second wind shield plate 42 connected to the side wall of the ice-making chamber 31. The second wind shield plate 42 extends from the lower wall of the air inlet 32 to the lower wall at the air inlet end of the ice maker 5, shielding at least a portion of the lower part of the air inlet 32.
The second wind shield plate 42 contact with the lower side of the ice maker 5 for positioning and limiting. The second wind shield plate 42 contact with the side wall of the ice-making chamber 31. The first wind shield plate 41 is horizontally arranged along the front-back direction of the ice maker 5. The front end of the second wind shield plate 42 may extend beyond the front wall of the air inlet 32, and rear end of the air inlet 32 may extend beyond the rear wall of the air inlet 32 to fully shield the air inlet 32. This ensures cold air entering from the air inlet 32 flows into the first air duct 34, minimizing direct diffusion into the ice-making chamber 31.
The rear end of the second wind shield plate 42 may directly abut against the rear wall of the ice-making chamber 31. Or the rear end of the second wind shield plate 42 may have a protrusion 421 inserting into the rear wall of the ice-making chamber 31, with a corresponding opening in the ice-making chamber 31 to accommodate this protrusion 421. This not only blocks cold air diffusion but also facilitates installation and enhances stability of the wind shield 4, preventing wobbling.
This arrangement effectively prevents cold air entering from the air inlet 32 from directly diffusing into the ice-making chamber 31, ensures cold supply to the ice maker 5, improves ice-making efficiency, and features simple structure and easy installation.
Referring to Figures 3 to 7, furthermore, in this embodiment, the ice maker 5 may comprise an ice-making tray 51, an air guide 52 disposed below the ice-making tray 51, and a heating wire disposed between the ice-making tray 51 and the air guide 52. The air guide 52 has an air guide port 54 facing the air inlet 32, and the wind shield 4 shields the outside of the air guide port 54 or the air guide port 54 is provided with an electric shock protection grid.
The ice-making tray 51 can contain water for making ice cubes, and cold air can exchange heat with the water in the ice-making tray 51 to make ice cubes. The air guide 52 may be connected to the ice-making tray 51. The portion of the air guide 52 facing the bottom wall of the ice-making tray 51 may be open.
The opening of the air guide 52 facing the bottom wall of the ice-making tray 51 may communicate with the air guide port 54 to form a fourth air duct 37, allowing cold air entering through the air guide port 54 to blow towards the bottom of the ice-making tray 51 and exchange heat with the water inside, improving ice-making efficiency.
To facilitate ice release from the ice-making tray 51, a heating wire is often installed on the bottom wall of the ice-making tray 51, the heating wire can convert electrical energy into heat energy to heat the ice-making tray 51.
To prevent users from electric shock by reaching into the air guide port 54, shielding is needed at the air guide port 54.
A grid-like electric shock protection grid can be installed at the air guide port 54 to prevent users from reaching inside.
Since the electric shock protection grid somewhat impedes cold air flow, affecting ice-making efficiency, an alternative is to leave the air guide port 54 as a single unobstructed through-hole and use the wind shield 4 to block the outside of the air guide port 54. This effectively prevents users from reaching into the air guide port 54 while avoiding impact on ice-making efficiency.
This arrangement ensures cold supply to the ice maker 5, improves ice-making efficiency, and ensures user safety by preventing electric shock.
Referring to Figures 2 to 5, furthermore, in this embodiment, the door 3 may comprise a door shell 38 disposed outside the ice-making chamber 31, with an insulation space for filling insulation material between the door shell 38 and the side wall of the ice-making chamber 31. The side wall of the ice-making chamber 31 is provided with a first recessed portion 311 recessed toward the door shell 38, and the ice maker 5 is partially disposed in the first recessed portion 311.
To ensure compatibility between the ice maker 5 and the ice-making chamber 31 and door 3, a recessed portion protruding toward the door shell 38 can be provided in the side wall of the ice-making chamber 31 to provide sufficient installation space for the ice maker 5. This ensures ice maker installation while reducing the space occupied by the ice-making chamber 31 in the door 3, making the door structure more compact and achieving miniaturized design. This allows the dimension of the ice maker 5 along the width direction of the door 3 to be greater than that of the ice-making chamber.
The air inlet 32 is disposed in the first recessed portion 311. The first recessed portion 311 may comprise a main wall 312 and an inclined peripheral wall 313 connecting the main wall 312 and the side wall of the ice-making chamber 31. The air inlet 32 is at least partially disposed in the peripheral wall 313 of the first recessed portion 311.
The inclined arrangement of the peripheral wall 313 facilitates manufacturing, processing, and demolding of the first recessed portion 311, as well as installation of the ice maker 5.
Placing the air inlet 32 in the peripheral wall 313 ensures proper coordination between the air inlet 32 and ice maker 5 while avoiding increased dimensions of the first recessed portion 311, reducing space occupation in the door 3. The peripheral wall 313 inclined toward the ice maker 5 also naturally directs the air inlet 32 toward the ice maker 5, facilitating cold air flow toward the ice maker 5.
The first wind shield plate 41 and second wind shield plate 42 of the wind shield 4 may be arranged to cooperate with and abut against the peripheral wall 313 of the first recessed portion 311. The outer edges of the first wind shield plate 41 and second wind shield plate 42 may fit against the outer edge of the first recessed portion 311, facilitating installation and positioning of the wind shield 4 while achieving concealed installation of the first recessed portion 311.
Referring to Figures 4, 5, 7 to 9, furthermore, in this embodiment, the side wall of the ice-making chamber 31 opposite to the first recessed portion 311 is provided with a second recessed portion 314 recessed outward, and the ice maker 5 is partially disposed in the second recessed portion 314.
A third recessed portion 315 recessed outward is provided in the top wall of the ice-making chamber 31 at the side of the second recessed portion 314, and the ice maker 5 is partially disposed in the third recessed portion 315. The recessed depth of the second recessed portion 314 is smaller than that of the first recessed portion 311.
Since an ice-making motor 55 is generally installed at the end of the ice maker 5 away from the air inlet 32, and an ice-separating component 53 for pushing ice cubes separate from the ice-making tray 51 is installed above the ice-making tray 51. The ice-making motor 55 is used to drive the rotation of the ice-separating component 53.
Therefore, providing the second recessed portion 314 and third recessed portion 315 effectively increases installation space for the ice maker 5. Since the second recessed portion 314 and third recessed portion 315 are adjacent and opposite to the first recessed portion 311, to facilitate processing, manufacturing, demolding of the recessed portions and installation of the ice maker 5, the depth of the second recessed portion 314 may be smaller than that of the first recessed portion 311.
Referring to Figures 8 to 10, furthermore, in this embodiment, the door shell 38 may be provided with a first opening 381 cooperating with the air inlet 32. An air duct component 61 forming an air inlet duct 22 is disposed between the air inlet 32 and the first opening 381. The air duct component 61 may comprise a connection plate 62 connected to the first recessed portion 311, and the connection plate 62 is snap-fitted to the main wall 312 and peripheral wall 313 of the first recessed portion 311.
The air duct component 61 may have an internal passage for cold air flow. Cold air from the evaporator chamber can enter the ice-making chamber 31 through the first opening 381, air duct component 61, and air inlet 32. The air duct component 61 may be centrally split into two parts, comprising a first part 63 disposed on one side of the air inlet duct 22 and a second part 64 disposed on the other side. The first part 63 and second part 64 may be connected by threaded connectors, such as screws.
Since the main wall 312 and peripheral wall 313 of the first recessed portion 311 are not in the same plane, to achieve stable installation of the air duct component 61, the connection plate 62 may be fitted against both the main wall 312 and peripheral wall 313, and may extend outward in all directions. The main wall 312 and peripheral wall 313 of the first recessed portion 311 may be provided with snap-fitting components 316 for engaging the connection plate 62, the snap-fitting components 316 engage the edges of the connection plate 62. The snap-fitting components 316 on the main wall 312 and peripheral wall 313 may be located on opposite sides of the connection plate 62.
This arrangement enables cold air supply to the ice-making chamber 31, facilitates installation of the air duct component 61, and ensures installation stability.
Referring to Figures 9 to 10, furthermore, in this embodiment, the connection plate 62 is located in the insulation space, and the first recessed portion 311 is provided with a flange 317 covering the outer edge of the connection plate 62.
Since insulation material needs to be filled in the insulation space, providing a flange 317 at the outer edge of the connection plate 62 prevents insulation material from seeping through connection gaps between the connection plate 62 and the recessed portion.
Referring to Figures 8 to 10, furthermore, in this embodiment, the door shell 38 may be provided with a second opening 382 cooperating with the air return port 33, and a second air duct component 65 forming an air return duct 23 may be disposed between the air inlet 32 and the second opening 382.
The second air duct component 65 may comprise a second connection plate 67 connected to the side wall of the ice-making chamber 31.A mating surface between the second connection plate 67 and the side wall of the ice-making chamber 31is flatting. The side wall of the ice-making chamber 31 may be provided with an insertion component 318 having a slot, allowing the second connection plate 67 to slide and insert into the side wall of the ice-making chamber 31. The insertion component 318 may first extend from the side wall of the ice-making chamber 31 toward the door shell 38 and then form a slot by folding. The edge of the second connection plate 67 of the second air duct component 65 may be provided with a protruding edge 66 extending toward the door shell 38 and matching with the slot, achieving stable connection between the second air duct component 65 and the side wall of the ice-making chamber 31.
Referring to Figures 3, 4, and 6, furthermore, in this embodiment, the first wind shield plate 41 is provided with multiple air guide ribs 43 extending obliquely from the air inlet 32 to the air guide port 54. The wind shield 4 is fixedly connected to the side wall of the ice-making chamber 31 through threaded connectors.
The air guide ribs 43 guide cold air flow toward the air guide port 54, improving ice-making efficiency while strengthening the first wind shield plate 41 and extending its service life. The wind shield 4 is fixed by threaded connectors, featuring simple connection structure, easy installation, and ensuring stable connection between the wind shield 4 and the side wall of the ice-making chamber 31.
Furthermore, in the second specific embodiment of the present application, it differs from the first specific embodiment in that the wind shield 4 in the first embodiment may be an independent component, while in this embodiment, the wind shield 4 may be formed by the side wall of the ice storage box 7.
Referring to Figures 2, 4, and 7, in this embodiment, an ice storage box 7 is disposed below the ice maker 5, and the side wall of the ice storage box 7 at the front side of the ice maker 5 extends upward and shields at least a portion of the air inlet 32 to form the wind shield 4.
The ice storage box 7 may be removably disposed in the ice-making chamber 31. The ice storage box 7 is open toward the bottom of the ice-making chamber 31 to allow ice cubes made by the ice maker 5 to enter. The upper end of the side wall portion of the ice storage box 7 at the front side of the ice maker 5 may be higher than the air inlet 32 and may contact with the front wall of the ice maker 5, and the front end of the side wall of the ice storage box 7 may be closer to the opening of the ice-making chamber 31 relative to the front wall of the air inlet 32.
This arrangement features simple structure, easy manufacturing and processing, low cost, and effectively prevents cold air entering from the air inlet 32 from directly diffusing into the ice-making chamber 31, ensuring cold supply to the ice maker 5 and improving ice-making efficiency.
Referring to Figures 2, 4, and 7, furthermore, in this embodiment, the ice storage box 7 is disposed below the ice maker 5, and the side wall of the ice storage box 7 below the ice maker 5 extends upward to the bottom wall of the ice maker 5 and shield at least a portion of the lower part of the air inlet 32 to form the wind shield 4.
The side wall of the ice storage box 7 below the ice maker 5 extends upward to contact with the bottom wall of the ice maker 5. This arrangement features simple structure, easy manufacturing and processing, low cost, and effectively prevents cold air entering from the air inlet 32 from directly diffusing into the ice-making chamber 31, ensuring cold supply to the ice maker 5 and improving ice-making efficiency.
In summary, the refrigerator 1 of the present application, by providing a wind shield 4 at the air inlet 32 end of the ice maker 5 and forming an air duct with the portion of the air inlet 32 not shielded by the ice maker 5, solves the problem of reduced heat exchange efficiency caused by the misalignment between the air inlet 32 opening position and the ice maker 5 installation position, which typically results in some cold air diffusing into the ice-making chamber 31 instead of reaching the ice maker 5.
By adopting the technical solution of this application, it can effectively prevent cold air entering from the air inlet 32 from directly diffusing into the ice-making chamber 31, ensure cold air supply to the ice maker 5, improve the utilization rate of cold air entering from the air inlet, enhance the ice-making efficiency of the ice maker 5, increase compatibility between the ice maker 5 and structures such as the ice-making chamber 31, air inlet 32, and air inlet duct 22, enabling the same size ice maker 5 to be suitable for various sizes of ice-making chambers 31, achieve modularization of the ice maker 5, and reduce production costs.
It should be understood that although this specification describes various embodiments, not every embodiment contains only one independent technical solution. This manner of description in the specification is merely for clarity. Those skilled in the art should consider the specification as a whole, and the technical solutions in various embodiments can be appropriately combined to form other embodiments understandable to those skilled in the art.
The series of detailed descriptions listed above are merely specific explanations of feasible embodiments of the present application and are not intended to limit its scope of protection. Any equivalent implementations or modifications that do not depart from the technical spirit of the present application should be comprised within its scope of protection.

Claims

A refrigerator, comprising a door, an ice-making chamber disposed in the door, and an ice maker disposed in the ice-making chamber, wherein the ice-making chamber has a side wall provided with an air inlet and an air return port, the air inlet is disposed at a side of the ice maker, characterized in that a wind shield is disposed at an end of the ice maker close to the air inlet, the air inlet comprises a first portion facing the ice maker and a second portion not blocked by the ice maker, the wind shield shields at least a portion of the second portion, a first air duct is formed between a side wall of the ice maker and the side wall of the ice-making chamber, a second air duct is formed between the wind shield and the side wall of the ice-making chamber, and the first air duct communicates with the second air duct.
The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that a front wall of the air inlet is disposed closer to an opening side of the ice-making chamber relative to a front wall of the ice maker, and the wind shield shields at least a portion of a front part of the air inlet.
The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that a lower wall of the air inlet is disposed below a lower wall of the ice maker, and the wind shield shields at least a portion of a lower part of the air inlet.
The refrigerator according to claim 2, characterized in that the wind shield comprises a first wind shield plate connected to the side wall of the ice-making chamber, the first wind shield plate extends from the front wall of the air inlet to the front wall at the air inlet end of the ice maker, and the first wind shield plate shields at least a portion of the front part of the air inlet.
The refrigerator according to claim 3, characterized in that the wind shield comprises a second wind shield plate connected to the side wall of the ice-making chamber, the second wind shield plate extends from the lower wall of the air inlet to the lower wall at the air inlet end of the ice maker, and the second wind shield plate shields at least a portion of the lower part of the air inlet.
The refrigerator according to claim 2, characterized in that an ice storage box is disposed below the ice maker, and a side wall of the ice storage box at a front side of the ice maker extends upward and shields at least a portion of the air inlet to form the wind shield.
The refrigerator according to claim 3, characterized in that an ice storage box is disposed below the ice maker, and a side wall of the ice storage box below the ice maker extends upward to the bottom wall of the ice maker and shields at least a portion of the lower part of the air inlet to form the wind shield.
The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that the ice maker comprises an ice-making tray, an air guide disposed below the ice-making tray, and a heating wire disposed between the ice-making tray and the air guide, the air guide has an air guide port facing the air inlet, and the wind shield shields the outside of the air guide port, or the air guide port is provided with an electric shock protection grid.
The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that the door comprises a door shell disposed outside the ice-making chamber, an insulation space for filling insulation material is provided between the door shell and the side wall of the ice-making chamber, the side wall of the ice-making chamber is provided with a first recessed portion recessed toward the door shell, the ice maker is partially disposed in the first recessed portion, the air inlet is disposed in the first recessed portion, the first recessed portion comprises a main wall and an inclined peripheral wall connecting the main wall and the side wall of the ice-making chamber, and the air inlet is at least partially disposed in the peripheral wall of the first recessed portion.
The refrigerator according to claim 9, characterized in that the door shell is provided with a first opening cooperating with the air inlet, an air duct component forming an air inlet duct is disposed between the air inlet and the first opening, the air duct component comprises a connection plate connected to the first recessed portion, and the connection plate is snap-fitted to the main wall and the peripheral wall of the first recessed portion.
The refrigerator according to claim 10, characterized in that the connection plate is located in the insulation space, and the first recessed portion is provided with a flange covering an outer edge of the connection plate.
The refrigerator according to claim 11, characterized in that the side wall of the ice-making chamber opposite to the first recessed portion is provided with a second recessed portion recessed outward, the ice maker is partially disposed in the second recessed portion, a third recessed portion recessed outward is provided in the top wall of the ice-making chamber at the side of the second recessed portion, the ice maker is partially disposed in the third recessed portion, and the recessed depth of the second recessed portion is smaller than that of the first recessed portion.
The refrigerator according to claim 4, characterized in that the ice maker comprises an ice-making tray and an air guide disposed below the ice-making tray, the air guide has an air guide port facing the air inlet, the first wind shield plate is provided with a plurality of air guide ribs extending obliquely from the air inlet to the air guide port, and the wind shield is fixedly connected to the side wall of the ice-making chamber through threaded connectors.