WO2023015908A1

WO2023015908A1 - Water storage device and refrigerator

Info

Publication number: WO2023015908A1
Application number: PCT/CN2022/084495
Authority: WO
Inventors: 王洪宇; 刘敏
Original assignee: 青岛海尔电冰箱有限公司; 海尔智家股份有限公司
Priority date: 2021-08-10
Filing date: 2022-03-31
Publication date: 2023-02-16
Also published as: CN113587545A

Abstract

A water storage device and a refrigerator. The water storage device comprises: a kettle body used for storing water; a kettle lid provided above the kettle body and used for opening and closing the kettle body, wherein the kettle lid comprises a body portion and a sensor extension portion extending downwards from the body portion; and an ultrasonic sensor provided in the sensor extension portion and used for monitoring a water level in the kettle body. The water storage device implements real-time monitoring of the water level in the kettle body, and the structure of the kettle lid is special.

Description

Water storage device and refrigerator

technical field

The invention relates to the technical field of refrigeration and freezing devices, in particular to a water storage device and a refrigerator.

Background technique

In daily life, drinking cold water is a common water demand of people. For example, in hot summer, often drink cold water to relieve heat. As a commonly used household appliance, refrigerators are commonly used to make cold water. At present, in refrigerators with cold water modules, there are generally two implementation schemes for the cold water modules. One is that when the refrigerator leaves the factory, it has a separate water box as a tool for making cold water. Its structure is usually independent and placed Put it in the refrigerator drawer or side by side with the refrigerator drawer. When using it, you need to manually take out the water box, fill it with water, put it back into the refrigerator, wait for the water temperature to cool down, then take out the water box and pour the water into the cup. The second is to place the cold water module in the door body, often integrated with the ice machine of the door body. In the first solution, since the water box in the refrigerator is independent, water needs to be artificially added. After adding water, the water box is relatively heavy, and it is inconvenient to take and place. In today's pursuit of intelligence, this kind of solution cannot match the current life concept and provide people with more convenient life needs. In the second solution, since the cold water module is placed in the refrigerator door, although water can be taken from the outside of the refrigerator without opening the refrigerator door, the door of this solution is thicker and will occupy more space inside the refrigerator use space.

Contents of the invention

It is an object of the present invention to provide a water storage device capable of monitoring the water level.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator in which the water storage device can be easily installed and removed.

In particular, the present invention provides a water storage device, comprising:

The pot body is used to store water;

The pot cover is arranged above the pot body and is used for opening and closing the pot body, wherein the pot cover includes a main body and a sensor extension extending downward from the main body; and

The ultrasonic sensor is arranged in the sensor extension part and is used for monitoring the water level in the jug body.

Optionally, a sensor placement groove is formed in the sensor extension;

The ultrasonic sensor is fixed in the sensor placement groove.

Optionally, the sensor extension has an opening towards one side of the kettle body;

The pot lid also includes: a side cover, which is detachably connected with the sensor extension and used for opening and closing the sensor extension.

Optionally, a plurality of locking protrusions are formed at intervals in the sensor extension;

A snap ring is formed on the side cover at a position corresponding to the snap-in protrusion, and the snap ring fits with the snap-in protrusion to fix the side cover and the sensor extension.

Optionally, the front side of the kettle body has a handle;

The pot lid also includes: a switch extension protruding outward from the front side of the main body, the lower part of the switch extension is formed with a docking groove with an opening downward, so that when the pot body fits under the pot lid, the docking groove spans the handle left and right sides.

Optionally, the rear upper part of the kettle body extends outwards to form a spout;

The pot lid also includes: a protruding mouth extension protruding outwards and downwards from the rear lower part of the body, so that the spout fits in the mouth extension when the pot body fits under the pot lid.

Optionally, the water storage device also includes:

The water inlet pipe is arranged in the main body, the outlet end extends into the kettle body, and the inlet end is connected with the external water pipe so as to introduce water into the kettle body;

Electric switchgear for opening and closing the waterway of the inlet water pipe; and

The control device is connected with the ultrasonic sensor and the electric switch device, and is used to control the action of the electric switch device based on the signal of the ultrasonic sensor to inject or not inject water into the kettle body.

Optionally, the water storage device also includes:

The signal processing circuit board is arranged in the pot lid and is fixed with the top wall of the body part, and is connected with the ultrasonic sensor and the control device, and is used to receive the signal of the ultrasonic sensor and transmit it to the control device; wherein

In the main body, a baffle is arranged between the signal processing circuit board and the water inlet pipe. The baffle extends downward from the top wall of the main body, and has a first section in the middle and a second section on both sides of the first section. The second section and the third section, the lower end of the first section is not lower than the signal processing circuit board, the lower end of the second section and the third section is lower than the first section, and the second section and the third section The segments are arranged to wrap the two corners of the signal processing circuit board close to the water inlet pipe.

The present invention also provides a refrigerator, which has the aforementioned water storage device.

Optionally, the refrigerator includes:

A box body, a storage compartment is defined in the liner of the box body; wherein

The water storage device is arranged in the storage room, and the pot cover is detachably connected with the inner tank.

In the water storage device and the refrigerator of the present invention, the water storage device is configured to include a pot body, a pot cover and an ultrasonic sensor, the pot cover is configured to include a main body and a sensor extension extending downward from the main body, and the ultrasonic sensor is arranged on the In the extension part of the sensor, real-time monitoring of the water level in the pot body is realized, and the structure of the pot lid is special and recognizable, which is conducive to improving market competitiveness.

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

Description of drawings

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

Fig. 1 is a schematic structural view of a refrigerator with a water storage device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a schematic structural view of the water storage device and inner container shown in Fig. 1 .

Fig. 3 is another schematic structural view of the water storage device and the inner container shown in Fig. 2 .

Fig. 4 is a schematic top view of the water storage device and the inner container shown in Fig. 2 .

Fig. 5 is a schematic sectional view of the water storage device and the inner tank shown in Fig. 2 along the line A-A in Fig. 1 .

Fig. 6 is a schematic exploded exploded view of the water storage device and inner container shown in Fig. 2 .

Fig. 7 is a structural schematic view of the inner tank and the fixing box shown in Fig. 2 .

Fig. 8 is a schematic structural diagram of a shielding cover.

Fig. 9 is a schematic structural view of some components of the water inlet pipe and the cover of the water storage device shown in Fig. 2 .

Fig. 10 is a schematic partial cross-sectional view of the water inlet pipe, the quick connector and the external water pipe of the water storage device shown in Fig. 2 .

Fig. 11 is a schematic circuit diagram of the water storage device shown in Fig. 2 .

Fig. 12 is a control flowchart of putting the pot body of the water storage device shown in Fig. 2 into the inner tank.

Detailed ways

Fig. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a refrigerator 400 with a water storage device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic structural view of the water storage device 100 and the inner container 402 shown in FIG. 1 . FIG. 3 is another structural schematic diagram of the water storage device 100 and the inner tank 402 shown in FIG. 2 . FIG. 4 is a schematic top view of the water storage device 100 and the inner container 402 shown in FIG. 2 . FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the water storage device 100 and the inner container 402 shown in FIG. 2 along the line A-A in FIG. 1 . FIG. 6 is a schematic exploded view of the water storage device 100 and the inner tank 402 shown in FIG. 2 .

The embodiment of the present invention provides a refrigerator 400, which is a storage device including a refrigeration system, and generally includes a box body 401, a door body (not shown in the figure), a refrigeration system (not shown in the figure) and a water storage device 100. The box body 401 is composed of an outer shell, an inner liner 402 and a heat insulation layer between the outer shell and the inner liner 402 . The inner container 402 of the box body 401 defines at least one storage compartment with an open front side. There are usually multiple storage compartments, such as a refrigerated compartment 403, a freezer compartment 404, a variable temperature compartment, and the like. The number and functions of specific storage compartments can be configured according to pre-requirements. For example, the storage temperature of the refrigerated compartment 403 can be 2-9°C or 4-7°C; the storage temperature of the freezer compartment 404 can be - 22 to -14°C or may be -20 to -16°C. As shown in Figure 1, the storage compartment includes a refrigerated compartment 403 and a freezer compartment 404, and the freezer compartment 404 is arranged below the refrigerated compartment 403. The refrigeration system can be a compression refrigeration cycle system composed of a compressor, a condenser, a throttling device and an evaporator.

The water storage device 100 of the embodiment of the present invention includes a pot body 200 , a pot cover 300 and an ultrasonic sensor 309 . The kettle body 200 is used for storing water. The pot lid 300 is disposed above the pot body 200 for opening and closing the pot body 200 . The pot lid 300 includes a body portion 301 and a sensor extension portion 331 extending downward from the body portion 301 . The ultrasonic sensor 309 is disposed in the sensor extension 331 for monitoring the water level in the kettle body 200 . In the water storage device 100 and the refrigerator 400 of the embodiment of the present invention, the water storage device 100 is set to include the pot body 200, the pot cover 300 and the ultrasonic sensor 309, and the pot cover 300 is set to include the main body 301 and downward from the main body 301. The extended sensor extension 331, the ultrasonic sensor 309 is arranged in the sensor extension 331, realizes the real-time monitoring of the water level in the kettle body 200, and the structure of the kettle lid 300 is special, recognizable, which is conducive to improving market competitiveness.

As shown in FIG. 1 , the water storage device 100 of the embodiment of the present invention is disposed in the storage compartment of a refrigerator 400 , and the pot lid 300 is detachably connected with the inner container 402 . In FIG. 1 , the water storage device 100 is disposed on the partition 431 in the refrigerated compartment 403 . In the refrigerator 400 of the embodiment of the present invention, the water storage device 100 is arranged in the storage room, and the water storage device 100 only occupies a small space inside the refrigerator 400 and has no influence on the door body of the refrigerator 400 . At the same time, the pot lid 300 is detachably connected to the inner container 402 , so that the water storage device 100 can be removed from the refrigerator 400 when the water storage device 100 is not in use, thereby expanding the internal space of the refrigerator 400 .

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 9 , a sensor placement groove 3311 is formed in the sensor extension part 331 ; the ultrasonic sensor 309 is fixed in the sensor placement groove 3311 . In addition, a cable opening 3313 is provided at the junction of the sensor extension portion 331 and the main body portion 301 .

As shown in FIG. 6 , the sensor extension 331 has an opening facing one side of the kettle body 200 . In some embodiments, the pot lid 300 of the water storage device 100 of the embodiment of the present invention further includes: a side cover 308 detachably connected to the sensor extension 331 for opening and closing the sensor extension 331 . Specifically, a plurality of locking protrusions 3312 are formed at intervals in the sensor extension part 331; a snap ring 381 is formed at a position corresponding to the locking protrusions 3312 on the side cover 308, and the snap ring 381 is adapted to the locking protrusions 3312. The fixing of the side cover 308 and the sensor extension 331 is realized. By providing the side cover 308 with a plurality of snap rings 381 , the side cover 308 can be detachably connected to the sensor extension 331 , which facilitates the installation of the ultrasonic sensor 309 .

The distance between the ultrasonic sensor 309 and the inner wall of the kettle body 200 (that is, the distance between the ultrasonic sensor 309 and the water surface) is determined according to the performance of the ultrasonic sensor 309 . Usually, the ultrasonic sensor 309 that adopts is not more than 20mm with the distance of water surface.

In some embodiments, the front side of the jug body 200 of the water storage device 100 of the embodiment of the present invention has a handle 211 . The kettle body 200 also includes: a switch extension 332 protruding outward from the front side of the main body 301 , the lower part of the switch extension 332 is formed with a docking groove 3322 opening downward, so that the kettle body 200 fits under the kettle lid 300 The docking groove 3322 spans the left and right sides of the handle 211 . By forming a docking groove 3322 with an opening downward at the bottom of the switch extension part 332, when the kettle body 200 fits under the pot cover 300, the docking groove 3322 can span the left and right sides of the handle 211, thereby enabling the kettle body 200 and The pot lid 300 adds a limit structure at the handle 211 , which is beneficial for the user to quickly and accurately place the pot body 200 at the correct position under the pot lid 300 .

In some embodiments, the rear upper part of the kettle body 200 of the water storage device 100 of the embodiment of the present invention extends outwards to form a spout 212 . The pot lid 300 also includes: a mouth extension 333 protruding outward and downward from the rear lower part of the body 301 , so that the spout 212 fits in the mouth extension 333 when the pot body 200 fits under the pot lid 300 . By forming the spout extension 333 corresponding to the spout 212 on the rear side of the kettle body 200, when the kettle body 200 fits under the pot cover 300, the spout 212 can be fitted in the spout extension 333, thus the kettle body can be aligned. 200 and the pot lid 300 add a limit structure at the spout 212, which is also beneficial for the user to quickly and accurately place the pot body 200 at the correct position under the pot lid 300.

As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5 , in the water storage device 100 of the embodiment of the present invention, a handle 211 is provided on the front side of the pot body 200 . The switch extension portion 332 protrudes outward from the front side of the main body portion 301 , and the lower portion of the switch extension portion 332 is formed with a docking groove 3322 opening downward. The rear side of the kettle body 200 is provided with a spout 212 . The mouth extension portion 333 is formed to protrude outward and downward from the rear lower portion of the main body portion 301 to cover the upper portion of the spout 212 . In a preferred embodiment, the outer contour of the projection of the mouth extension 333 on the horizontal plane is the same as the shape of the outer contour of the projection of the spout 212 on the horizontal plane. By setting the outer contour of the projection of the mouth extension 333 on the horizontal plane and the shape of the outer contour of the projection of the spout 212 on the horizontal plane to be the same, the positioning is more accurate. After the kettle body 200 is placed below the kettle body 200, the kettle The spout 212 is in close contact with the pot lid 300 , and the overall appearance of the water storage device 100 is more beautiful.

The limiting structures at these two places can not only ensure that the kettle body 200 can be placed in place quickly, but also can ensure that the relative position of the ultrasonic sensor 309 and the kettle body 200 remains at the same position all the time, so that the distance between the ultrasonic sensor 309 and the water surface can be guaranteed. Simultaneous monitoring accuracy and consistency are better.

In some embodiments, the kettle body 200 is provided with a magnetic piece 214 . The pot lid 300 is provided with a magnetic sensitive switch 305 , so that the position and state of the pot body 200 and the pot lid 300 can be determined by using the induction signal of the magnetic sensitive switch 305 to the magnetic member 214 . By arranging the magnetic piece 214 on the kettle body 200 and the magnetic sensitive switch 305 on the kettle lid 300, the position state of the kettle body 200 and the kettle lid 300 can be determined by using the induction signal of the magnetic sensitive switch 305 to the magnetic piece 214, When the magnetic sensitive switch 305 senses the magnetic part 214 and turns on, it indicates that the kettle body 200 is in place, otherwise it indicates that the kettle body 200 is not in place, thereby ensuring that the lid 300 and the kettle body 200 are in place.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5 , a magnet placement slot 213 is formed on the handle 211 , and the magnetic member 214 is disposed in the magnet placement slot 213 . The switch extension part 332 extends above the magnet placement slot 213 , and the switch extension part 332 defines a switch placement slot 3321 . The magnetic sensitive switch 305 is disposed in the switch placement slot 3321 . The pot lid 300 also includes a bottom cover plate 306 disposed below the main body 301 and the switch extension 332 for closing the main body 301 and the switch extension 332 . By arranging the magnetic piece 214 in the magnet placement groove 213 on the handle 211 , the addition of the magnetic piece 214 can be realized only by adjusting the structure at the handle 211 , without affecting the internal structure of the kettle body 200 . By extending the switch extension 332 to the top of the handle 211, a switch placement groove 3321 is opened on the switch extension 332, and the bottom cover 306 is used to close the main body 301 and the switch extension 332, so that it can be easily and conveniently placed in the pot lid 300 A magnetic sensitive switch 305 is provided. At the same time, by forming the switch extension part 332 , the pot lid 300 itself has a certain shape, which improves the appearance and visual effect of the entire water storage device 100 . FIG. 9 is a schematic structural view of some components of the water inlet pipe 304 and the cover of the water storage device 100 shown in FIG. 2 . As shown in Figure 6, the bottom cover 306 is provided with a plurality of hooks 361, correspondingly, a plurality of protrusions (not numbered in the figure) are formed on the inside of the body part 301, by connecting the hooks 361 and the protrusions of the body part 301 The bottom cover 306 and the main body 301 are fixed by cooperation.

The water storage device 100 of the embodiment of the present invention judges whether the jug body 200 is put in through the opening and closing of the magnetic sensitive switch 305, so when the jug body 200 is put in correctly, the magnetic sensitive switch 305 must be within the effective magnetic force range of the magnetic member 214 . The magnetic force of the magnetic member 214 is related to the type of the magnetic member 214 . The magnetic member 214 can be a magnet. Magnets of different specifications have different effective radius r of magnetic force. Generally, considering the cost factor, the water storage device 100 of the embodiment of the present invention adopts a magnet with an effective radius r≤20 mm of the magnetic force as the magnetic member 214 . The distance between the corresponding magnetic sensitive switch 305 and the magnet should also be within 20mm.

As shown in FIG. 5 , in the water storage device 100 of the embodiment of the present invention, the opening of the magnet placement groove 213 is upward. The kettle body 200 also includes: a fixed cover 215 for closing the magnet placement slot 213 after the magnetic piece 214 is put into the magnet placement slot 213 . By opening the magnet placement groove 213 upward, the overall appearance of the water storage device 100 can be kept smooth, and the manufacturing process is simpler; by setting the fixed cover 215, the magnetic piece 214 can be kept in the magnet placement groove 213, so as to be compatible with the magnetic sensitivity. Switch 305 is activated. The fixed cover 215 can be fixed with the handle 211 through a hook and groove structure.

FIG. 7 is a schematic structural view of the inner tank 402 and the fixing box 500 shown in FIG. 2 . FIG. 8 is a schematic structural diagram of the shielding cover 700 . FIG. 10 is a schematic partial cross-sectional view of the water inlet pipe 304 , the quick connector 600 and the external water pipe 800 of the water storage device 100 shown in FIG. 2 . The water inlet structure of the water storage device 100 and the matching structure in the refrigerator 400 of the embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to FIGS. 6 to 10 .

As mentioned above, the pot lid 300 is detachably connected to the inner tank 402 . The inner container 402 of the refrigerator 400 in the embodiment of the present invention protrudes outward to form a groove 420 . Refrigerator 400 also comprises: fixed box 500, fits in groove 420 and is fixed with groove 420; Wherein pot lid 300 has body part 301 and is positioned at the fixing part 302 of body part 301 near liner 402 side, and fixing part 302 It is detachably connected with the fixed box 500 . By setting the fixed box 500, the fixed box 500 can be fixed with the inner tank 402 first, and then the pot lid 300 and the fixed box 500 can be fixed to realize the fixing of the pot lid 300 and the inner tank 402. On the one hand, the water storage device 100 can be When the structure is disassembled, the user can remove the water storage device 100 when there is no demand for cold water, so as to obtain a larger use space inside the refrigerator 400; It has a more complicated and finer structure, so as to ensure the stability of the installation of the pot lid 300, the fixed box 500, and the inner liner 402 and the sealing of the joint.

In the water storage device 100 of the embodiment of the present invention, a slot 321 is formed on the top wall and/or bottom wall of the fixed part 302 of the pot lid 300 , and a socket 320 is opened on the front wall and/or rear wall of the fixed part 302 . The front part of the top wall 532 and/or bottom wall 536 of the fixed box 500 is formed with a rib 541 at the position corresponding to the slot 321, and the rib 541 is fitted in the slot 321 through the socket 320 to realize the fixing part 302 and the fixed box 500. plug-in fixation. By forming the slot 321 and the socket 320 on the fixing part 302 and forming the rib 541 on the fixing box 500 , the fixing of the fixing part 302 and the fixing box 500 can be realized simply and conveniently. The slot 321 can have a first side wall on the side close to the liner 402 and a second side wall away from the side of the liner 402 in all sections, that is, there are two side walls on the left and right, or it can be only in some sections. It has a side wall close to the side of the liner 402 . As shown in FIG. 6 , slots 321 are respectively formed on the top wall and the bottom wall of the fixing part 302 of the pot lid 300 , and a socket 320 is opened at the rear wall of the fixing part 302 . Wherein, the slot 321 on the top wall of the fixing portion 302 only has a side wall close to the liner 402 except for the socket 320 , and the slot 321 on the bottom wall of the fixing portion 302 has two side walls on the left and right. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 , the fixed box 500 has a side wall 531 , a top wall 532 , a front wall 533 , a rear wall 534 and a bottom wall 536 . The front wall 533 and the rear wall 534 face each other front and back, and the top wall 532 and the bottom wall 536 face each other up and down. Protruding ribs 541 are respectively formed on front portions of the top wall 532 and the bottom wall 536 .

In some embodiments, the socket 320 is formed at the rear wall of the fixing part 302; the slot 321 is configured from front to back, and the left and right width of the side wall of the slot 321 near the inner liner 402 is gradually reduced; the rib 541 is configured such that the left and right widths of the ribs 541 gradually increase from front to back. As shown in Fig. 7, after the fixing box 500 is fixed with the inner container 402, there is a distance between the rib 541 and the inner container 402, and the rib 541 is arranged so that the left and right width of the rib 541 gradually increases from front to back. , that is to say, from front to back, the distance between the rib 541 and the inner container 402 gradually decreases, and correspondingly, the slot 321 is configured to be the left and right width of the side wall near the inner container 402 from front to rear Gradually decrease, that is, the left and right width of the slot 321 gradually increases. The side wall of the slot 321 near the side of the liner 402 and the rib 541 are designed in conformity, so that when the pot lid 300 is installed, along with pushing the pot lid 300 backward along the rib 541, the fixed part 302 and the fixed box 500 The tighter the fixation.

In some embodiments, a locking groove 322 is formed in the slot 321 ; a protrusion 542 is formed at a position corresponding to the locking groove 322 on the rib 541 , and the protrusion 542 fits in the locking groove 322 . Usually, only the engaging groove 322 is formed in the slot 321 on the bottom wall of the fixing portion 302 , while the protrusions 542 are respectively formed on the ribs 541 of the top wall 532 and the bottom wall 536 . By forming the locking groove 322 in the slot 321 and forming the protrusion 542 on the rib 541 , it is more convenient to install and disassemble the pot lid 300 . When the user does not use the water storage device 100 , the pot lid 300 is directly pulled forward to separate the pot lid 300 from the fixing box 500 .

The refrigerator 400 in the embodiment of the present invention further includes: a shielding cover 700 configured to fit with the fixing box 500 and used to cover the fixing box 500 after the pot lid 300 is removed from the inner container 402 . When the pot lid 300 is removed from the inner tank 402, the fixed box 500 and the external water pipe 800 will be exposed in the field of vision, and the external water pipe 800 can be prevented from being polluted by setting the shielding cover 700, and the refrigerator 400 is more beautiful. FIG. 8 is a schematic structural view of the shielding cover 700 . The structure of the shielding cover 700 is similar to that of the fixing part 302 . As shown in FIG. 8 , slots 321 are respectively formed on the top wall and the bottom wall of the shielding cover 700 , and a socket 320 is opened on the rear wall.

As shown in Figure 9, the water storage device 100 of the embodiment of the present invention also includes: a water inlet pipe 304, which is arranged in the pot cover 300, the outlet end extends into the pot body 200, and the inlet end is connected with the external water pipe 800 so as to flow to the pot body. Introduce water within 200 min. By setting the water inlet pipe 304 in the pot lid 300 , the water storage device 100 has its own water inlet pipe 304 , so that water can be introduced into the pot body 200 conveniently. As shown in FIG. 6 , an accommodating chamber 311 is defined in the body portion 301 of the pot lid 300 , and the water inlet pipe 304 is disposed in the accommodating chamber 311 . The fixing portion 302 of the pot lid 300 of the water storage device 100 of the embodiment of the present invention is provided with a communication port 323. An insertion hole 421 is opened on the side wall of the groove 420 of the liner 402 , and an intubation port 5311 is opened at a position corresponding to the insertion hole 421 on the side wall 531 of the fixed box 500 , and the external water pipe 800 passes through the insertion hole 421 , The intubation port 5311 is connected with the water inlet pipe 304 .

The refrigerator 400 of the embodiment of the present invention also includes: an anti-overflow plug 801, which is provided with a pipe fixing hole 811, and the anti-overflow plug 801 is provided on the outer side of the inner tank 402 through the penetration hole 421, and the external water pipe 800 is fixed through the pipe The hole 811 is fixed with the anti-spill plug 801. A slot (not labeled in the figure) can also be formed on the anti-spill plug 801 for setting the wire harness 802 .

At least one first fixing hole (not shown in the figure) is opened on the side wall of the groove 420 of the liner 402 of the refrigerator 400 of the embodiment of the present invention, and a suction head 422 is formed corresponding to the first fixing hole on the outside of the side wall . A second fixing hole 5312 is defined at a position corresponding to the first fixing hole on the side wall 531 of the fixing box 500 . The refrigerator 400 also includes: a screw suspension column 803 adapted and fixed with the suction head 422 . The fixation box 500 and the liner 402 are fixed by using the fixing member 505 through the second fixing hole 5312 , the first fixing hole, and the suction head 422 .

By opening the first fixing hole on the side wall of the groove 420 and opening the second fixing hole 5312 on the side wall 531 of the fixing box 500 , the stable fixing of the fixing box 500 and the liner 402 can be realized. By forming the suction head 422 structure and the screw hanger 803, the fixing box 500 can be installed after foaming. As shown in Figure 6, a groove 420 is adsorbed on the inner liner 402, and a suction head 422 is designed on the outside of the groove 420 corresponding to the first fixing hole and the second fixing hole 5312, for pre-installation , install the screw suspender 803, after foaming, the fixing box 500 is fixed inside the groove 420 absorbed by the inner liner 402 through the fixing member 505, such as a screw. The external water pipe 800 and the wiring harness pass through the anti-overflow plug 801 first, and then the anti-overflow plug 801 is inserted into the insertion hole 421 of the inner container 402 and the insertion port 5311 of the fixed box 500 . The anti-splash plug 801 can be a rubber plug. In addition, a sealing ring 831 may be provided between the screw hanger 803 and the outside of the groove 420 .

In some embodiments, the inlet end of the water inlet pipe 304 of the water storage device 100 of the embodiment of the present invention is detachably connected to the external water pipe 800 via the quick connector 600 . The quick connector 600 includes a first connecting pipe head 601 and a second connecting pipe head 602, wherein the inlet end of the water inlet pipe 304 is inserted into the first connecting pipe head 601, and the second connecting pipe head 602 has a connected first pipe section 621 And the second pipe section 622, the end of the first pipe section 621 is inserted into the second connecting pipe head 602, the outlet end of the external water pipe 800 is inserted in the second pipe section 622, and the inner diameter of the second pipe section 622 is greater than the inner diameter of the first pipe section 621. By detachably connecting the water inlet pipe 304 with the external water pipe 800 using the quick joint 600, the water storage device 100 can be separated from the external water pipe 800 when there is no need to connect to the water circuit, so that the water storage device 100 can be stored and used independently. The water inlet pipe 304 and the external water pipe 800 are connected by a quick connector 600 having a first connecting pipe head 601 and a second connecting pipe head 602 , so that they can be connected and disconnected multiple times. When connecting the waterway, the water inlet pipe 304 can be directly inserted into the first connecting pipe head 601, the external water pipe 800 can be inserted into the second connecting pipe head 602, and then the first pipe section 621 of the second connecting pipe head 602 can be inserted into the first connecting pipe head 602. Just put it in the pipe head 601. When removing the waterway, forcefully pull the quick joint 600 to separate the first connecting pipe head 601 and the second connecting pipe head 602 of the quick joint 600 , so as to separate the water inlet pipe 304 from the external water pipe 800 in the tank 401 .

The water inlet pipe 304 of the water storage device 100 in the embodiment of the present invention is preferably a flexible pipe, at least a part of which is a spiral curved structure. The water inlet pipe 304 is set as a flexible pipe with a helical bending structure, so that the water inlet pipe 304 can be easily pulled, thereby facilitating the docking of the first connecting pipe head 601 and the second connecting pipe head 602 .

As shown in FIG. 6 , an insertion post 362 is formed on the bottom cover plate 306 of the pot lid 300 of the water storage device 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention, and the outlet end of the water inlet pipe 304 is inserted into the insertion post 362 . At the same time, a support plate 363 is also formed on the bottom cover plate 306 adjacent to the insertion post 362, and a first notch 3631 and a second notch 3632 are sequentially formed on the support plate 363 along the up and down direction, and the size of the second notch 3632 is larger than that of the first notch 3631 Part of the pipe section of the water inlet pipe 304 fits in the second notch 3632 through the first notch 3631 . By forming a support plate 363 with a first notch 3631 and a second notch 3632 adjacent to the insertion post 362, the connection between the water inlet pipe 304 and the bottom cover plate 306 can be maintained firmly when the water channel is connected or removed, When the water inlet pipe 304 is pulled, the outlet end of the water inlet pipe 304 is prevented from detaching from the plug post 362 .

FIG. 11 is a schematic circuit diagram of the water storage device 100 shown in FIG. 2 . FIG. 12 is a control flowchart of putting the pot body 200 of the water storage device 100 shown in FIG. 2 into the inner tank 402 . The water level monitoring and control of the water storage device 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to FIG. 6 , FIG. 9 , FIG. 11 and FIG. 12 .

The water storage device 100 in the embodiment of the present invention may further include: an electric switch device 901 and a control device 900 . The electric switch device 901 is used for opening and closing the water channel of the water inlet pipe 304 . The control device 900 is connected with the ultrasonic sensor 309 and the electric switch device 901 , and is used to control the action of the electric switch device 901 based on the signal of the ultrasonic sensor 309 to inject or not inject water into the kettle body 200 . By setting the electric switch device 901 and the control device 900, the water storage device 100 of the embodiment of the present invention can realize the intelligent control of water level monitoring and automatic water filling, and meet the user's more convenient and intelligent domestic water demand.

The water storage device 100 of the embodiment of the present invention can also be provided with a reminder device 902, which is used to issue a displacement reminder when the kettle body 200 is not placed in place. The reminding device 902 can be integrated in the pot lid 300 . The control device 900 is connected with the reminding device 902, and is used for controlling the reminding device 902 to issue a displacement reminding when the magnetic sensitive switch 305 is not turned on. The reminder information may be, for example, a tweet or the like.

FIG. 12 is a control flowchart of putting the pot body 200 of the water storage device 100 shown in FIG. 2 into the inner tank 402 . After the kettle body 200 is put into the refrigerator 400, the control method of the water storage device 100 in the embodiment of the present invention includes:

S102: Determine whether the magnetic sensitive switch 305 is turned on; if yes, execute step S104; if not, execute step S110.

S104: Whether the ultrasonic sensor 309 detects that the water level is full; if yes, execute step S106; if not, execute step S108.

S106: Control the electric switch device 901 to close, and not inject water into the kettle body 200 .

S108: Control the electric switch device 901 to open, and pour water into the kettle body 200 .

S110: Control the reminding device 902 to send out a displacement reminder.

After the kettle body 200 is put into the refrigerator 400, it is first judged whether the kettle body 200 is placed in place. Since the magnetic sensitive switch 305 is turned on after the kettle body 200 is put in place, it can be determined whether the kettle body 200 is put in place by judging whether the magnetic sensitive switch 305 is turned on. Therefore, when the magnetic sensitive switch 305 is not turned on, it means that the pot body 200 is not accurately placed under the pot lid 300 , and at this time, the control reminder device 902 sends out a displacement reminder. When the magnetic sensitive switch 305 is turned on, it means that the kettle body 200 has been placed in place. At this time, it is judged whether water injection is needed in the kettle body 200 . When the ultrasonic sensor 309 monitors that the water level is full, the electric switch device 901 is controlled to be closed, and water is not injected into the kettle body 200 . And when the ultrasonic sensor 309 monitors that the water level is not full, the control electric switch device 901 is opened, and water is injected in the kettle body 200 until the ultrasonic sensor 309 monitors that the water level is full.

The water storage device 100 of the embodiment of the present invention also includes: a signal processing circuit board 307, which is arranged in the pot lid 300 and fixed with the top wall of the body part 301, and is connected with the ultrasonic sensor 309 and the control device 900 for receiving the ultrasonic sensor 309. The signal is transmitted to the control device 900. In the body part 301, a baffle 314 is arranged between the signal processing circuit board 307 and the water inlet pipe 304. The baffle 314 extends downward from the top wall of the body part 301 and has a first section 3141 in the middle and a The second section 3142 and the third section 3143 on both sides of the first section 3141, the lower end of the first section 3141 is not lower than the signal processing circuit board 307, the lower end of the second section 3142 and the third section 3143 Below the first section 3141. The second section 3142 and the third section 3143 are arranged to wrap two corners of the signal processing circuit board 307 close to the water inlet pipe 304 . By setting the U-shaped baffle 314, the water inlet pipe 304 can be prevented from scratching the signal processing circuit board 307 during the expansion and contraction process, and the lower end of the first section 3141 in the middle of the baffle 314 is not lower than the signal processing circuit The board 307 facilitates the installation and fixing of the signal processing circuit board 307.

As shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 9 , an insertion rod 312 and a fixing rod 313 are formed on the top wall of the main body 301 extending downward, and the insertion rod 312 and the fixing rod 313 are arranged in pairs diagonally. The signal processing circuit board 307 is provided with fixing holes 371 at the positions corresponding to the insertion rods 312 and the fixing rods 313 respectively. The fixing parts 372 are used to penetrate the fixing holes 371 and the insertion rods 312 are inserted into the fixing holes 371 to realize the signal processing circuit board. 307 and the fixing of the main body part 301.

As shown in Figure 11, the signal processing circuit board 307 can be powered by the control device 900 (which can be the main control board of the refrigerator 400), and there is a signal transmission line between the two; the ultrasonic sensor 309 is powered by the signal processing circuit board 307, and the two There is a signal transmission line between the two, and there is a magnetic switch 305 between the two to control whether the ultrasonic sensor 309 is powered. The opening and closing states of the electric switching device 901 (such as a solenoid valve) are controlled by the control device 900 according to the signal received from the signal processing circuit board 307; the reminder device 902 is controlled by the control device 900 according to the signal received from the signal processing circuit board 307 .

In the description of this embodiment, it should be understood that the terms "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top" , The orientation or positional relationship indicated by "bottom" is based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in Figure 2, which is only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the referred device or element must have a specific orientation , constructed and operated in a particular orientation and therefore should not be construed as limiting the invention.

The terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the quantity of indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of these features. In the description of the present invention, "plurality" means two or more, unless otherwise specifically defined.

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

Claims

A water storage device, comprising:

The pot body is used to store water;

a pot cover, arranged above the pot body, for opening and closing the pot body, wherein the pot cover includes a main body and a sensor extension extending downward from the main body; and

The ultrasonic sensor is arranged in the sensor extension part and is used for monitoring the water level in the kettle body.
The water storage device according to claim 1, wherein:

A sensor placement groove is formed in the sensor extension;

The ultrasonic sensor is fixed in the sensor placement groove.
The water storage device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein,

The sensor extension has an opening towards one side of the kettle body;

The pot lid also includes: a side cover, detachably connected with the sensor extension, for opening and closing the sensor extension.
The water storage device according to claim 3, wherein:

A plurality of locking protrusions are formed at intervals in the extension part of the sensor;

A snap ring is formed on the side cover at a position corresponding to the snap-fit protrusion, and the snap ring fits with the snap-fit protrusion to fix the side cover and the sensor extension.
The water storage device according to any one of claims 1-4, wherein,

The front side of the kettle body has a handle;

The pot lid also includes: a switch extension protruding outward from the front side of the main body, the lower part of the switch extension is formed with a docking groove with an opening downward, so that the pot body fits on the When the pot lid is below, the butt groove spans the left and right sides of the handle.
The water storage device according to any one of claims 1-5, wherein,

The rear upper part of the kettle body extends outwards to form a spout;

The pot lid also includes: a spout extension protruding outward and downward from the rear lower part of the body, so that when the pot body fits under the pot lid, the spout fits on the spout. within the extension.
The water storage device according to any one of claims 1-6, further comprising:

The water inlet pipe is arranged in the body part, the outlet end extends into the body of the kettle, and the inlet end is connected with the external water pipe so as to introduce water into the body of the kettle;

an electric switch device for opening and closing the water path of the water inlet pipe; and

The control device is connected with the ultrasonic sensor and the electric switch device, and is used for controlling the action of the electric switch device based on the signal of the ultrasonic sensor to inject or not inject water into the kettle body.
The water storage device according to claim 7, further comprising:

A signal processing circuit board, arranged in the lid and fixed to the top wall of the body, connected to the ultrasonic sensor and the control device, used to receive the signal of the ultrasonic sensor and transmit it to the control device; of which

In the main body part, a baffle plate is arranged between the signal processing circuit board and the water inlet pipe, and the baffle plate extends downward from the top wall of the main body part, and has a first section in the middle and a A second section and a third section located on both sides of the first section, the lower end of the first section is not lower than the signal processing circuit board, the second section and the third section The lower end of the section is lower than the first section, and the second section and the third section are arranged to wrap two corners of the signal processing circuit board close to the water inlet pipe.
A refrigerator with the water storage device according to any one of claims 1-8.
The refrigerator according to claim 9, comprising:

A box body, a storage compartment is defined in the liner of the box body; wherein

The water storage device is arranged in the storage compartment, and the pot cover is detachably connected with the inner tank.