refrigerator

Abstract

The present invention relates to a refrigerator comprising a storage compartment, wherein rollers are mounted on the front sides of the left and right side walls, respectively, and a first slide extending forward and backward is disposed behind the rollers; and a drawer that can be inserted into the storage compartment by sliding it forward and backward, wherein the left and right side walls each have a second slide extending forward and backward, the second slide being supported by the rollers, and the rear ends of the first slides have downwardly protruding sliders that are slidably disposed on the first slides. The refrigerator of the present invention has a simple structure, which not only saves effort in sliding and pulling the drawers, but also does not increase costs.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a refrigeration device, in particular to a refrigerator. Background Art

[0002] The drawers of the refrigerator are generally arranged in a storage compartment in a push-pull manner, and the drawers are repeatedly pushed and pulled during use.

[0003] In the existing structure, the left and right sides of the drawer are usually directly placed on the left and right side walls of the refrigerator storage compartment. When the drawer is pushed or pulled, sliding friction is formed with the side walls of the storage compartment, resulting in large friction.

[0004] Alternatively, a slide rail mechanism is provided between the drawer and the side wall of the storage compartment in some improved structures to reduce friction, but the structure of the slide rail mechanism is relatively complex and the cost is also high. Summary of the Invention

[0005] An object of the present invention is to overcome at least one defect of the prior art and to provide a refrigerator with a simple structure, which makes the drawer pushing and pulling process more labor-saving without increasing the cost.

[0006] A further object of the present invention is to facilitate locking of drawers.

[0007] A further object of the present invention is to enable the drawer to move backward at an accelerated speed during the drawer closing process, thereby facilitating the completion of the locking process.

[0008] In particular, the present invention provides a refrigerator comprising a storage compartment, wherein rollers are respectively installed on the front sides of the left and right side walls, and a first slide extending forward and backward is provided behind the rollers; and

[0009] The drawer can be inserted into the storage compartment by being pushed and pulled forward and backward. The left and right side walls of the drawer are respectively provided with second slides extending forward and backward. The second slides are supported by rollers. The rear end of the first slide is provided with a slider protruding downward. The slider is slidably arranged on the first slide.

[0010] Optionally, the refrigerator further comprises at least one locking mechanism, each locking mechanism comprising:

[0011] A pivot lock catch is pivotally mounted on the side wall of the storage compartment about an axis extending leftward and rightward, and has a front latch and a rear latch extending upward;

[0012] The latch is provided on the drawer and has a latch hole. The locking mechanism is configured such that: when the drawer is in a closed state, the front latch tooth is inserted into the latch hole to lock the drawer, and the pivot lock catch is in a first position at this time; when the drawer is pulled forward, the pivot lock catch pivots from the first position to the second position, so that the front latch tooth moves forward and downward to disengage from the latch hole, thereby releasing the lock of the drawer; when the drawer is pushed backward, the latch pushes the rear latch tooth backward, so that the pivot lock catch pivots to the first position so that the front latch tooth enters the latch hole to lock the drawer; and

[0013] The first elastic element is configured to apply a resistance torque to the pivoting lock catch during the process of the pivoting lock catch pivoting from the first position to the second position or from the second position to the first position.

[0014] Optionally, the first elastic element is a torsion spring with an axis extending left and right, with two ends hinged to the lower end of the pivot lock and the side wall of the storage compartment respectively, and is configured as follows:

[0015] When the pivoting lock catch is in a critical position between the first position and the second position, the line of action of the pushing force of the torsion spring on the pivoting lock catch passes through the pivot point of the pivoting lock catch;

[0016] When the pivoting lock catch is between the first position and the critical position, the line of action of the torsion spring on the pivoting lock catch is located in front of the pivot point of the pivoting lock catch; and

[0017] When the pivoting lock catch is between the critical position and the second position, the line of action of the pushing force of the torsion spring on the pivoting lock catch is located behind the pivot point of the pivoting lock catch.

[0018] Optionally, there are two locking mechanisms, the pivot locks of the two locking mechanisms are respectively arranged at the rear of the left and right side walls of the storage compartment, and the clamping members of the two locking mechanisms are respectively arranged at the rear ends of the two first slides.

[0019] Optionally, the refrigerator further comprises: two mounting plates, which are detachably mounted on the left and right side walls of the storage compartment, respectively; a first slideway is formed on the mounting plates; and the roller and the torsion spring are mounted on the mounting plates.

[0020] Optionally, the refrigerator further comprises at least one acceleration mechanism, configured to drive the drawer to move backward at an accelerated speed when the drawer moves backward and triggers its action.

[0021] Optionally, each accelerating mechanism comprises:

[0022] A first guide groove extending frontward and rearward is provided on the mounting plate;

[0023] An L-shaped second guide groove is located below the first guide groove, with a front section being a vertical section and a rear section being a horizontal section;

[0024] The translation block and the rotation block are hingedly connected and the hinge axis extends left and right, and are slidably arranged in the first guide groove and the second guide groove respectively. The lower side of the rotation block is provided with a clamping groove;

[0025] a second elastic element configured to apply a rearward elastic preload force to the translation block; and

[0026] The touch block is arranged on the side wall of the drawer; the acceleration mechanism is configured as follows:

[0027] When the drawer is in an open state, the rotating block is stuck in the vertical section of the second guide groove;

[0028] When the drawer moves backward, the touch block pushes the rear wall of the card slot backward, causing the rotating block to rotate out of the vertical section of the second guide slot and into the horizontal section. The touch block enters the card slot, and the translation block and the rotating block accelerate backward under the action of the elastic preload force, driving the touch block and the drawer to accelerate backward.

[0029] When the drawer moves forward, the touch block drives the rotating block to move forward to the bottom end of the vertical section of the second guide groove, pushing the front wall of the slot to rotate the rotating block and engage the vertical section, so that the touch block disengages the slot and the drawer continues to move forward.

[0030] Optionally, the drawer is correspondingly provided with two acceleration mechanisms.

[0031] Optionally, the second elastic element is a tension spring.

[0032] During the drawer sliding operation of the refrigerator of the present invention, the rollers supporting the second slideway generate rolling friction, while the sliders sliding on the first slideway generate sliding friction. Compared with existing structures that directly rest the drawer sides on the side walls of the storage compartment, the present invention achieves lower overall friction. Compared with existing complex slide rail solutions, the present invention has a simpler structure and lowers costs.

[0033] Furthermore, in the refrigerator of the present invention, the locking mechanism automatically locks and unlocks the drawer during the drawer's sliding and opening process, facilitating user convenience. Furthermore, as the pivoting catch pivots from its second position to its first position (i.e., closing the drawer), the elastic element applies a resistance torque to the pivoting catch, effectively applying a rearward force to the latch, thereby securely locking and sealing the drawer. As the pivoting catch pivots from its first position to its second position (i.e., opening the drawer), the elastic element applies a resistance torque to the pivoting catch, cushioning the drawer's closing process and preventing it from directly impacting the rear wall of the storage compartment.

[0034] Furthermore, the refrigerator of the present invention can pull the drawer to move backward faster by providing an acceleration structure, so that the latching member accelerates and hits the rear latching teeth to automatically complete the locking, without the user having to push the drawer hard, thereby facilitating the operation of closing the drawer and improving the user experience.

[0035] Based on the following detailed description of specific embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, those skilled in the art will become more aware of the above and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0036] Hereinafter, some specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail in an exemplary and non-limiting manner with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numerals in the accompanying drawings indicate the same or similar components or parts. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that these drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. In the accompanying drawings:

[0037] Figure 1This is a schematic structural diagram of a refrigerator body and a drawer according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of the left side wall of the storage compartment of the refrigerator;

[0039] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure of the drawer;

[0040] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the bottom structure of the right side of the drawer shown;

[0041] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the locking mechanism when the pivoting lock is in the first position;

[0042] Figure 6 yes Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the locking mechanism when the pivoting lock is in the second position;

[0043] Figure 7 It is an exploded schematic diagram of the acceleration mechanism;

[0044] Figure 8 It is a structural diagram of the acceleration mechanism;

[0045] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the state when the rotating block is stuck in the vertical section of the second guide groove;

[0046] Figure 10 It is a schematic diagram of the state when the rotating block is in the horizontal section of the second guide groove. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0047] Figure 1 This is a schematic structural diagram of a refrigerator body and a drawer according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of the left side wall 22 of the storage compartment 201 of the refrigerator; Figure 3 yes Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of the drawer 10; Figure 4 yes Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the bottom structure of the right side of the drawer 10 is shown.

[0048] like Figures 1 to 4 As shown, an embodiment of the present invention provides a refrigerator. Figure 1 The box body 20 is shown, which defines a storage compartment 201. A drawer 10 is provided in the storage compartment 201. The drawer 10 can be pushed and pulled back and forth into the storage compartment 201. The drawer 10 has a cover 12 on its upper side for closing the upper opening of the drawer 10.

[0049] The front sides of the left and right side walls 22 and 24 of the storage compartment 201 are respectively equipped with rollers 31, which can rotate around their own axes. A first slide 32 extending forward and backward is provided behind the rollers 31. Figure 1 and Figure 2 The left and right side walls of the drawer 10 are respectively provided with a second slide 13 extending forward and backward, and the second slide 13 is supported by a roller 31. The rear end of the first slide 32 has a slider 15 protruding downward, and the slider 15 is slidably arranged on the first slide 32. Figure 3 and Figure 4 .

[0050] During the drawer 10's movement, the rollers 31 support the second slideway 13, creating rolling friction, while the slider 15 slides on the first slideway 32, creating sliding friction. When the drawer 10 is pulled forward to its front limit, the rollers 31 prevent the slider 15 from moving forward, preventing the drawer 10 from moving forward and falling.

[0051] Compared with the existing structure in which the two sides of the drawer are directly placed on the left and right side walls of the storage compartment, the present invention has smaller overall friction force. Compared with the existing complex slide rail solution, the present invention has a simple structure and low cost.

[0052] In some embodiments, the refrigerator further includes at least one locking mechanism 80 , which can lock the position of the drawer 10 when the drawer 10 is in a closed state.

[0053] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the locking mechanism 80 when the pivoting lock 83 is in the first position; Figure 6 yes Figure 5 The locking mechanism 80 is shown as a schematic diagram of the state when the pivoting lock 83 is in the second position.

[0054] like Figures 4 to 6 As shown, in this embodiment of the present invention, each locking mechanism 80 generally includes a pivoting latch 83, a retaining member 81, and a first elastic element. The pivoting latch 83 is pivotally mounted on the side wall 22 of the storage compartment 201 about a horizontally extending axis. A front latching tooth 835 and a rear latching tooth 836 extend upward from the upper end of the pivoting latch 833, with the front latching tooth 835 located forward of the rear latching tooth 836. The retaining member 81 is mounted on the drawer 10 and has a retaining hole 812 extending through its upper and lower surfaces.

[0055] The number of the locking mechanisms 80 is preferably two, and the pivot locks 83 of the two locking mechanisms 80 are respectively arranged at the rear of the left and right side walls 22 and 24 of the storage compartment 201 , and the holding members 81 of the two locking mechanisms 80 are respectively arranged at the rear ends of the two first slideways 32 .

[0056] When the drawer 10 is in the closed state, Figure 3As shown, the front latch 835 is inserted into the latch hole 812 from below the latch hole 812 to lock the drawer 10 to the side wall 22 of the storage compartment 201 , and the pivot lock 83 is at the first position.

[0057] When the pivot lock 83 is in Figure 5 When the drawer 10 is in the first position shown, the drawer 10 is pulled forward and the pivot lock 83 pivots from the first position to the second position, that is, from Figure 5 Status pivots counterclockwise to Figure 6 The front latch 835 moves forward and downward to disengage the latch hole 812, thereby releasing the lock of the drawer 10. During this process, the first elastic element applies a resistance torque to the pivot lock 83, forcing the user to overcome the resistance torque before opening the drawer 10, thereby making the lock between the drawer 10 and the side wall 22 of the storage compartment 201 more secure.

[0058] When the pivot lock 83 is in Figure 6 When the drawer 10 is in the second position shown, the drawer 10 is pushed backward to close, and the latch 81 first touches the rear latch 836 (the rear latch 836 is higher than the latch 81, and the latch 81 is higher than the front latch 835), causing the pivot lock 83 to pivot to the first position, that is, from Figure 6 Status pivots clockwise to Figure 5 The front latch 835 moves backward and upward to insert into the latch hole 812 from below, returning to the first position and locking the drawer 10 to the side wall 22 of the storage compartment 201. During this process, the first elastic element applies a resistance torque to the pivot lock 83, providing a certain cushioning effect on the backward movement of the drawer 10, thereby improving the user experience.

[0059] In the embodiment of the present invention, during the pushing and pulling process of the drawer 10, the locking mechanism 80 can automatically lock and unlock the drawer 10, which is convenient for users.

[0060] In some embodiments, as Figures 4 to 6 As shown, the first elastic element can be a torsion spring 85 having an axis extending in the left-right direction. The ends of the torsion spring steel bar are respectively hinged to the lower end of the pivot lock 83 (such that the hinge point is located below the pivot axis 831 of the pivot lock 83) and the left side wall 22 of the storage compartment 201 (directly or indirectly hinged to the left side wall 22 of the storage compartment 201). When the pivot lock 83 is in a critical position between the first position and the second position, the line of action of the thrust F exerted by the torsion spring 85 on the pivot lock 83 passes through the pivot point of the pivot lock 83. In this state, the thrust of the torsion spring 85 exerts a zero force arm on the pivot lock 83, preventing the pivot lock 83 from rotating.

[0061] When the pivot lock 83 is between the first position and the critical position, Figure 5The line of action of the (upward) thrust F of the torsion spring 85 on the pivoting lock catch 83 is located in front of the pivot point of the pivoting lock catch 83.

[0062] When the pivot lock 83 is between the critical position and the second position, as shown in FIG. Figure 6 The line of action of the (upward) thrust F of the torsion spring 85 on the pivoting lock 83 is located behind the pivot point of the pivoting lock 83.

[0063] Thus, during the process of opening the drawer 10, the pivot lock 83 rotates counterclockwise, and the torsion spring 85 first applies a resistance torque to the pivot lock 83 to make it rotate clockwise, creating resistance for the user to open the drawer 10. When the pivot lock 83 rotates past the critical position, the torsion spring 85 changes the direction of the torque applied to it, causing the pivot lock 83 to accelerate to pivot to the critical position. Figure 4 The second position is shown.

[0064] During the closing process of the drawer 10, the pivot lock 83 rotates clockwise, and the torsion spring 85 first applies a resistance torque to the pivot lock 83 to make it rotate counterclockwise, thereby providing a buffer for the closing of the drawer 10. When the pivot lock 83 rotates past the critical position, the torsion spring 85 changes the direction of its torque, causing the pivot lock 83 to accelerate to pivot to the critical position. Figure 3 According to experiments, setting the force applied by the torsion spring 85 to the pivot lock 83 to 20±5N can provide the user with the best feel when pushing and pulling the drawer 10.

[0065] In some embodiments, the refrigerator includes two mounting plates 30, which are respectively detachably mounted on the left and right side walls 22 and 24 of the storage compartment 201. A first slide 32 is formed on the mounting plate 30, and a roller 31 and a torsion spring are mounted on the mounting plate 30.

[0066] In this embodiment of the present invention, the locking mechanism 80 can automatically lock and unlock the drawer 10, making it convenient for the user. Furthermore, during the pivoting of the pivoting catch 83 from the second position to the first position (i.e., closing the drawer 10), the torsion spring 85 applies a resistance torque to the pivoting catch 83, thereby applying a rearward force to the retaining member 81, thereby securely locking and sealing the drawer 10. During the pivoting of the pivoting catch 83 from the first position to the second position (i.e., opening the drawer 10), the torsion spring 85 applies a resistance torque to the pivoting catch 83, thereby cushioning the closing of the drawer 10 and preventing it from directly impacting the rear wall of the storage compartment 201.

[0067] In some embodiments, the refrigerator further includes at least one acceleration mechanism 40 , which is configured to accelerate the drawer 10 to move backward when the drawer 10 moves backward and its action is triggered.

[0068] Figure 7 is an exploded schematic diagram of the acceleration mechanism 40; Figure 8is a schematic structural diagram of the acceleration mechanism 40; Figure 9 4 is a schematic diagram of a state where the rotating block 60 is stuck in the vertical section 421 of the second guide groove 42; Figure 10 It is a schematic diagram of the state when the rotating block 60 is in the horizontal section 422 of the second guide groove 42.

[0069] like Figures 7 to 10 As shown, there are preferably two acceleration mechanisms 40. Each acceleration mechanism 40 includes a first guide slot 41 extending forward and backward, an L-shaped second guide slot 42, a translation block 50, a rotation block 60, a second elastic element 70, and a contact block 14. The first guide slot 41 is defined on the mounting plate 30. The second guide slot 42 is also defined on the mounting plate 30 and is located below the first guide slot 41. The front section is a vertical section 421, and the rear section is a horizontal section 422. The translation block 50 and the rotation block 60 are hingedly connected, with the hinge axis extending in the left-right direction. They are slidably disposed in the first guide slot 41 and the second guide slot 42, respectively. A locking slot 63 is defined on the underside of the rotation block 60. The second elastic element 70 is configured to apply a rearward elastic preload to the translation block 50. The second elastic element 70 can be a tension spring, with its rearward ends connected to the translation block 50 and the mounting plate 30, respectively. The contact block 14 is disposed on the side wall of the drawer 10.

[0070] like Figure 7 As shown, the mounting plate 30 has a chamber 401 with an open bottom. Its left and right side walls define a first guide slot 41 and a second guide slot 42, respectively, positioned opposite each other. The translation block 50 has two guide posts 51 on its left and right sides, respectively, for insertion into the first guide slots 41. The rotation block 60 has a rotation shaft 61, which is rotatably inserted into the mounting hole 52 of the translation block 50. The rotation block 60 also has a guide post 62, which is inserted into the second guide slot 42.

[0071] When the drawer 10 is in the open state, the rotating block 60 is stuck in the vertical section 421 of the second guide groove 42. Figure 9 .

[0072] When the drawer 10 moves backward (from Figures 9 and 10 ), the contact block 14 pushes back against the rear wall 632 of the latching slot 63, causing the rotating block 60 to rotate out of the vertical section 421 of the second guide slot 42 and into the horizontal section 422. The contact block 14 then enters the latching slot. The elastic preload force accelerates the translation block 50 and the rotating block 60 backward, driving the contact block 14 and the drawer 10 backward. This accelerates the latching member 81 to strike the rear latching teeth 836, automatically locking the drawer 10. This eliminates the need for the user to forcefully push the drawer 10, facilitating the closing operation and improving the user experience.

[0073] During the forward movement of the drawer 10 (from Figures 10 to 9), when the touch block 14 drives the rotating block 60 to move forward to the bottom end of the vertical section 421 of the second guide groove 42, it pushes the front wall 631 of the slot 63 to rotate the rotating block 60 and engage the vertical section 421, so that the touch block 14 is disengaged from the slot 63, and the drawer 10 continues to move forward to the open state.

[0074] At this point, those skilled in the art will recognize that, although a number of exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described in detail herein, many other variations or modifications consistent with the principles of the present invention may be directly determined or derived from the disclosure of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of the present invention should be understood and deemed to cover all such other variations or modifications.

Claims

1. A refrigerator, characterized in that include: The storage compartment has rollers installed on the front sides of the left and right side walls respectively, and a first slide extending forward and backward is provided behind the rollers; and A drawer is inserted into the storage compartment by being pushed and pulled forward and backward, and has a second slide extending forward and backward on its left and right side walls respectively, the second slide being supported by the roller, and a slider protruding downward at the rear end of the second slide, the slider being slidably arranged on the first slide; two mounting plates, the two mounting plates being detachably mounted on the left and right side walls of the storage compartment, respectively, the first slideways being formed on the mounting plates; At least one acceleration mechanism, configured to accelerate the backward movement of the drawer when the drawer moves backward and its action is triggered; Each of the acceleration mechanisms comprises: A first guide groove extending frontward and rearward is provided on the mounting plate; An L-shaped second guide groove is located below the first guide groove, with a front section being a vertical section and a rear section being a horizontal section; A translation block and a rotation block are hingedly connected and the hinge axis extends left and right, and are slidably arranged in the first guide groove and the second guide groove respectively. A clamping groove is opened on the lower side of the rotation block; a second elastic element configured to apply a rearward elastic preload force to the translation block; and The touch block is arranged on the side wall of the drawer; the acceleration mechanism is configured as follows: When the drawer is in an open state, the rotating block is clamped in the vertical section of the second guide groove; When the drawer moves backward, the touch block pushes the rear wall of the slot backward, causing the rotating block to rotate out of the vertical section of the second guide slot and into the horizontal section. The touch block enters the slot, and the translation block and the rotating block accelerate backward under the action of the elastic preload force, driving the touch block and the drawer to accelerate backward. During the forward movement of the drawer, when the touch block drives the rotating block to move forward to the bottom end of the vertical section of the second guide groove, the front wall of the card slot is pushed to rotate the rotating block and engage the vertical section, so that the touch block is disengaged from the card slot, and the drawer continues to move forward.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that Also included is at least one locking mechanism, each of the locking mechanisms comprising: A pivot lock, which can be pivotally mounted on the side wall of the storage compartment around an axis extending left and right, and has a front latch and a rear latch extending upward; The latch is provided on the drawer and has a latch hole, and the locking mechanism is configured such that: when the drawer is in a closed state, the front latch tooth is inserted into the latch hole to lock the drawer, and at this time the pivot lock catch is in a first position; when the drawer is pulled forward, the pivot lock catch is pivoted from the first position to a second position, so that the front latch tooth moves forward and downward to disengage from the latch hole, thereby releasing the lock of the drawer; when the drawer is pushed backward, the latch pushes the rear latch tooth backward, so that the pivot lock catch is pivoted to the first position so that the front latch tooth enters the latch hole to lock the drawer; and The first elastic element is configured to apply a resistance torque to the pivoting lock catch during a process in which the pivoting lock catch pivots from the first position to the second position or from the second position to the first position.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 2, characterized in that The first elastic element is a torsion spring with an axis extending left and right, and its two ends are respectively hinged to the lower end of the pivot lock and the side wall of the storage compartment, and is configured as follows: When the pivoting lock catch is at a critical position between the first position and the second position, the line of action of the pushing force of the torsion spring on the pivoting lock catch passes through the pivot point of the pivoting lock catch; When the pivoting lock catch is between the first position and the critical position, the line of action of the torsion spring on the pivoting lock catch is located in front of the pivot point of the pivoting lock catch; and When the pivoting lock catch is between the critical position and the second position, the line of action of the pushing force of the torsion spring on the pivoting lock catch is located behind the pivot point of the pivoting lock catch.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 3, characterized in that There are two locking mechanisms, and the pivot locks of the two locking mechanisms are respectively arranged at the rear of the left and right side walls of the storage compartment, and the clamping parts of the two locking mechanisms are respectively arranged at the rear ends of the two first slides.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 4, characterized in that Also includes: The roller and the torsion spring are mounted on the mounting plate.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 5, characterized in that The drawer is correspondingly provided with two acceleration mechanisms.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 6, characterized in that The second elastic element is a tension spring.

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