A refrigerator
By installing a decompression channel and a vent valve inside the freezer door, and automatically adjusting the vent valve using the air pressure difference, the problem of negative pressure in the storage compartment after the freezer is cooled is solved, enabling convenient door opening and improving the user experience.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN201911144295.9
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Patents(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2019-11-20
- Publication Date
- 2025-12-12
- Estimated Expiration
- 2039-11-20
AI Technical Summary
The refrigerator creates negative pressure inside the storage compartment after cooling, making it difficult to open the door and resulting in a poor user experience.
A decompression channel and a vent valve are installed inside the freezer door. The vent valve is automatically adjusted to balance the air pressure by utilizing the air pressure difference between the storage compartment and the outside space.
The system automatically releases negative pressure when it forms in the storage room, allowing users to open the cabinet door at any time and improving the user experience.
Smart Images

Figure CN110736285B_ABST
Abstract
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of refrigeration equipment, and in particular to a refrigerator. BACKGROUND
[0002] The refrigerator is a common refrigeration equipment, which has the advantages of large storage space, high cost performance and the like, and is widely used for food refrigeration in shopping malls or other occasions. The refrigerator generally comprises a cabinet and a door, the door and the cabinet cooperatively enclose a storage room, and the door is rotationally connected with the cabinet through a hinge structure, and the door opens or closes the storage room in the process of rotation relative to the cabinet.
[0003] The refrigerator is usually of direct cooling type, and when the refrigerator is refrigerated, the air temperature in the storage room is reduced, and the volume is contracted. Since the storage room is a closed space, the contraction of the air volume in the storage room will cause the formation of negative pressure in the storage room. When the user just takes out something and closes the door, the air in the storage room shrinks to form negative pressure due to cold. At this time, if the user wants to open the door again to store or take out the goods, the door is difficult to open due to the negative pressure in the storage room, which brings a lot of inconvenience to the user, resulting in poor user experience. SUMMARY
[0004] Embodiments of the present application provide a refrigerator, which can balance the air pressure between the storage room and the external space, facilitate the user to open the storage room at any time, and improve the user experience.
[0005] To achieve the above purpose, embodiments of the present application adopt the following technical solutions: the present application provides a refrigerator, which comprises a cabinet, the cabinet forms a storage room; a door body, the door body is hinged to the cabinet, and the door body is used to open or close the storage room; a decompression passage is arranged in the door body, the decompression passage is used to communicate the storage room with an external space; an air breather is arranged in the decompression passage, the air breather is closed in the closed state and is opened in the open state; wherein when the air pressure difference between the external space and the storage room reaches a certain threshold value, a pushing force acting on the air breather is formed to make the air breather change from the closed state to the open state.
[0006] The refrigerator provided by the embodiment of the present application comprises a cabinet and a door body, the door body is internally provided with a decompression channel for balancing the air pressure between a storage chamber and an external space, and a breather valve for closing or opening the decompression channel. The decompression channel is used for connecting the storage chamber with the external space, and the breather valve is arranged in the decompression channel, and the breather valve is closed to close the decompression channel and is opened to open the decompression channel. When the refrigerator is refrigerated, the air in the storage chamber shrinks due to cold, the air pressure in the storage chamber is reduced, the air pressure in the storage chamber is lower than that of the external space, and a negative pressure is formed. When the air pressure difference between the external space and the storage chamber reaches a certain threshold value, a pushing force acting on the breather valve is formed to make the breather valve change from the closed state to the opened state. At this time, the decompression channel connects the external space with the storage chamber, and under the action of the air pressure difference, the air in the external space enters the storage chamber through the decompression channel. With the entry of the air in the external space, the air pressure in the storage chamber gradually rises. Since the breather valve is arranged in the door body and cannot be directly operated by a user, the breather valve is arranged in the form of automatic opening. The breather valve provided by the embodiment of the present application is driven from the closed state to the opened state by the air pressure difference between the external space and the storage chamber, and does not need to be driven to open by an additional driving device, so that the structure is simple and the cost is low. Compared with the refrigerator in the prior art, the refrigerator in the embodiment of the present application can balance the air pressure between the storage chamber and the external space and relieve the negative pressure state of the storage chamber when the negative pressure occurs in the storage chamber by increasing the decompression channel and the breather valve in the door body, so that the user can open the storage chamber at any time and the use experience of the user is improved. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0007] Figure 1 It is an exploded structural diagram of the refrigerator in the embodiment of the present application Figure 1 ;
[0008] Figure 2 It is an exploded structural diagram of the refrigerator in the embodiment of the present application Figure 2 ;
[0009] Figure 3 It is a partial enlarged view of A in FIG. 6 Figure 1 ;
[0010] Figure 4 It is an exploded structural diagram of the decompression channel and the breather valve in the embodiment of the present application
[0011] Figure 5 It is an exploded structural diagram of the breather valve in the embodiment of the present application
[0012] Figure 6 It is an assembly structural diagram of the breather valve in the embodiment of the present application
[0013] Figure 7 It is a partial enlarged view of B in FIG. 8 Figure 6 ;
[0014] Figure 8 Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the breather valve when the breather valve is closed.
[0015] Figure 9 Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the breather valve when the breather valve is open.
[0016] Reference signs
[0017] 1 - box; 2 - door body; 21 - door liner; 22 - door panel; 23 - door frame; 3 - storage chamber; 4 - decompression channel; 41 - first breather tube; 42 - end cap; 43 - second breather tube; 44 - mounting seat; 5 - breather valve; 51 - valve body; 511 - mounting groove; 512 - base; 513 - cover plate; 52 - valve plate; 53 - valve cavity; 531 - air inlet; 532 - air outlet; 533 - first side wall; 54 - rotating shaft; 6 - water-blocking breather membrane. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0018] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present application, rather than all the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative labor fall within the scope of protection of the present application.
[0019] In the description of the present application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "upper", "lower", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer" and the like indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, and are only for the purpose of facilitating the description of the present application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a particular orientation, be constructed and operated in a particular orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on the present application.
[0020] The terms "first", "second" are only for descriptive purposes, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the technical features indicated. Therefore, the features defined with "first", "second" can explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of the present application, unless otherwise specified, the meaning of "a plurality of" is two or more.
[0021] In the description of the present application, it should be noted that unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "mounting", "connection", "connecting" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, can be fixed connection, can also be detachable connection, or integrally connected; can be mechanical connection, can also be electrical connection; can be directly connected, can also be indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, can be internal communication of two elements. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in the present application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.
[0022] Referring to Figure 1 and Figure 2 , generally, the refrigerator has a shape similar to a cuboid, including a cabinet 1 and a door body 2, the door body 2 is movably connected with the cabinet 1, and the door body 2 can open or close the storage room 3 in the process of moving relative to the cabinet 1. The door body 2 generally includes a door liner 21 close to the storage room 3, a door panel 22 away from the storage room 3, a door frame 23 arranged between the door liner 21 and the door panel 22 and in a circumferential direction, and a heat insulation layer between the door liner 21, the door panel 22 and the door frame 23, and optionally, the heat insulation layer is filled with foaming material. When the door body 2 closes the storage room 3, the storage room 3 and the external space are isolated from each other, so as to ensure that the storage room 3 exchanges heat with the external space. Due to the isolation between the storage room 3 and the external space, when the refrigerator is refrigerated, the air in the storage room 3 shrinks in volume and the air pressure decreases, and compared with the external space, the storage room 3 forms a negative pressure. The present application aims to balance the air pressure between the storage room 3 and the external space, eliminate the negative pressure state of the storage room 3, and improve the user experience.
[0023] The present application provides a refrigerator, as shown in Figure 1 and Figure 2 , the refrigerator includes a cabinet 1, the cabinet 1 forms a storage room 3; a door body 2, the door body 2 is hinged to the cabinet 1, and the door body 2 is used to open or close the storage room 3. Referring to Figure 1 and Figure 4 , the door body 2 includes a decompression passage 4, the decompression passage 4 is used to communicate the storage room 3 with the external space; and a breather valve 5, the breather valve 5 is arranged in the decompression passage 4, and the breather valve 5 is closed in the closed state and is open in the open state, so as to make the decompression passage 4 be closed or communicated. When the air pressure difference between the external space and the storage room 3 reaches a certain threshold value, a pushing force acting on the breather valve 5 is formed, so as to make the breather valve 5 change from the closed state to the open state.
[0024] The present application provides a refrigerator, as shown in Figure 1 and Figure 2 , including a cabinet 1 and a door body 2, the door body 2 is provided with a decompression passage 4 for balancing the air pressure between the storage room 3 and the external space, and a breather valve 5 for closing or communicating the decompression passage 4. The decompression passage 4 is used to communicate the storage room 3 with the external space, and the breather valve 5 is arranged in the decompression passage 4, referring to Figure 8When the vent valve 5 is closed, the decompression channel 4 is shut off, as per [reference]. Figure 9 When the vent valve 5 is open, the decompression channel 4 is activated. During refrigerator cooling, the air in the storage compartment 3 contracts due to the cold, reducing the air pressure inside. Compared to the external space, the air pressure inside the storage compartment 3 is lower, creating a negative pressure. When the pressure difference between the external space and the storage compartment 3 reaches a certain threshold, it creates a thrust on the vent valve 5, causing it to open from the closed state. At this time, the decompression channel 4 connects the external space and the storage compartment 3. Under the influence of the pressure difference, air from the external space enters the storage compartment 3 through the decompression channel 4. As air enters the storage compartment 3, the air pressure inside gradually increases. Since the vent valve 5 is located inside the door 2, the user cannot directly operate it; therefore, the vent valve 5 is designed to open automatically. The vent valve 5 provided in this embodiment of the invention utilizes the air pressure difference between the external space and the storage compartment 3 to drive the vent valve 5 from a closed state to an open state. No additional driving device is required to open the vent valve 5, resulting in a simple structure and low cost. Compared to existing freezers, the freezer in this embodiment of the invention, by incorporating a decompression channel 4 and a vent valve 5 within the door, can balance the air pressure between the storage compartment 3 and the external space when negative pressure is generated in the storage compartment 3, thus relieving the negative pressure state within the storage compartment 3. This allows users to easily open the storage compartment 3 at any time, improving the user experience.
[0025] It should be noted that in this application, "external space" refers to the space outside the freezer storage compartment 3. "Negative pressure is formed inside the storage compartment 3" means that the air pressure inside the storage compartment 3 is lower than the air pressure in the external space.
[0026] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the vent valve 5 includes a valve body 51 and a valve plate 52. The valve body 51 forms a valve cavity 53, and the valve body 51 is provided with an air inlet 531 and an air outlet 532 communicating with the valve cavity 53. The air inlet 531 communicates with the external space, and the air outlet 532 communicates with the storage chamber 3; see reference. Figure 6 and Figure 7Valve piece 52 is located inside valve cavity 53 and covers air inlet 531. Valve piece 52 is rotationally connected to valve body 51 through rotation shaft 54. Valve piece 52 is used to open or close air inlet 531 by rotating around rotation shaft 54. In the refrigerator of the embodiment, the thrust force generated by the air pressure difference between storage chamber 3 and the outside space acts on valve piece 52 of air breather valve 5. When the thrust force applied to valve piece 52 by the air pressure difference is greater than the gravity component of valve piece 52, the thrust force drives valve piece 52 to rotate around rotation shaft 54 in a direction away from air inlet 531, so that a gap is generated between valve piece 52 and air inlet 531, valve piece 52 opens air inlet 531, air inlet 531 is communicated with valve cavity 53, air breather valve 5 is conducted, and under the action of the air pressure difference, the air in the outside space enters valve cavity 53 through air inlet 531 and is sent to storage chamber 3 through air outlet 532, so as to balance the air pressure in the outside space and storage chamber 3. When the force applied to valve piece 52 by the air pressure difference is less than the gravity component of valve piece 52, valve piece 52 rotates in the opposite direction (compared with the rotating direction when valve piece 52 opens air breather valve 5) under the action of gravity to close air inlet 531. When the air pressure difference between the outside space and storage chamber 3 is less than a threshold value, air breather valve 5 can be automatically closed, air breather valve 5 blocks decompression channel 4, and the outside space and storage chamber 3 are separated from each other. At this time, air breather valve 5 can prevent the cold air in storage chamber 3 from flowing out of decompression channel 4 and prevent the cold air from leaking. In the refrigerator of the embodiment, when the force applied to valve piece 52 by the air pressure difference is less than the gravity component of valve piece 52, valve piece 52 closes air inlet 531 by using its own gravity. No special reset structure is configured for valve piece 52, air breather valve 5 has a simple structure, and the manufacturing cost is low.
[0027] It should be noted that the direction of the thrust force applied to valve piece 52 by the air pressure difference is generally perpendicular to the plane where valve piece 52 is located. The gravity component of valve piece 52 refers to the component of the gravity of valve piece 52 along the direction perpendicular to valve piece 52. When the thrust force is greater than the gravity component, the air pressure difference drives valve piece 52 to rotate to open air inlet 531. When the thrust force is less than the gravity component, valve piece 52 rotates in the opposite direction to close air inlet 531.
[0028] In addition to the way that the air pressure difference on both sides of the valve plate 52 drives the valve plate 52 to rotate to open the air inlet 531, and the valve plate 52 is closed by its own gravity. The air pressure detection devices can also be arranged on both sides of the valve plate 52 to detect the air pressure difference on both sides of the valve plate 52, and the driving device is arranged in the valve cavity 53 to drive the valve plate 52 to rotate. When the detection device detects that the air pressure difference on both sides of the valve plate 52 reaches a preset value, the driving assembly drives the valve plate 52 to rotate, and the air permeable valve 5 is conducted. However, compared with the above-mentioned way, the air permeable valve 5 used in the embodiment of the present application controls the opening of the air permeable valve 5 by the air pressure difference on both sides of the valve plate 52, and the air permeable valve 5 is closed by the gravity of the valve plate 52. The structure of the air permeable valve 5 is simple, the manufacturing cost is low, and the power consumption of the refrigerator can also be reduced.
[0029] With reference to Figure 5 and Figure 6 In the embodiment of the present application, the valve cavity 53 includes a bottom wall and a side wall, and the air inlet 531 is located on the side wall of the valve cavity 53, and the side wall where the air inlet 531 is located is the first side wall 533. If the air inlet 531 is arranged on the bottom wall of the valve cavity 53, and the valve plate 52 covers the air inlet 531, when the air pressure difference on both sides of the valve plate 52 drives the valve plate 52 to rotate to open the air inlet 531, the gravity component of the valve plate 52 needs to be larger. Therefore, the air inlet 531 is arranged on the side wall of the valve cavity 53 to reduce the gravity component of the valve plate 52 that needs to be overcome when the air pressure difference on both sides of the valve plate 52 drives the valve plate 52 to rotate.
[0030] With reference to Figure 5 and Figure 6 The first side wall 533 is at a certain angle with the vertical direction, and the lower end of the first side wall 533 is inclined to the inside of the valve cavity 53. The first side wall 533 is arranged in an inclined state. When the force applied to the valve plate 52 by the air pressure difference is less than the gravity component of the valve plate 52, the valve plate 52 rotates to cover the air inlet 531. At this time, the valve plate 52 is pressed between the first side wall 533 under the action of gravity, so that the valve plate 52 can better adhere to the first side wall 533 to close the air inlet 531, so that the air inlet 531 is in a closed state when the force applied to the valve plate 52 by the air pressure difference is less than the gravity component of the valve plate 52, thereby preventing the cold air in the storage chamber 3 from leaking, and ensuring the refrigeration efficiency of the refrigerator. Therefore, the refrigerator of the embodiment of the present application can release the negative pressure state of the storage chamber, balance the air pressure between the storage chamber and the external space without affecting the working performance (refrigeration efficiency) of the refrigerator itself, facilitate the user to open the storage chamber at any time, and improve the user's experience.
[0031] With reference to Figure 5 and Figure 6The rotating shaft 54 is located on the top of the valve piece 52, so that the valve piece 52 can freely fall to cover the air inlet 531 and close the air inlet 531 when not under force. Further, in order to reduce the gravity component that the valve piece 52 needs to overcome when rotating, preferably, the rotating shaft 54 can be arranged in the horizontal direction. The force applied to the valve piece 52 by the air pressure difference on both sides of the valve piece 52 is perpendicular to the valve piece, and the axis of the rotating shaft 54 is parallel to the plane where the air inlet 531 is located, so that the valve piece 52 can rotate around the rotating shaft 54 in a direction perpendicular to the valve piece 52, and the valve piece 52 rotates towards or away from the air inlet 531, thereby closing or opening the air inlet 531, achieving the purpose of controlling the on-off of the decompression passage 4.
[0032] The valve piece 52 is rotationally connected with the valve body 51 through the rotating shaft 54, so that the valve piece 52 can rotate relative to the valve body 51 to open or close the air inlet 531. In some embodiments, as shown in Figure 5 and Figure 7 The rotating shaft 54 is a cylindrical protrusion formed by the top of the valve piece 52 protruding outward, in order to make the axis of the rotating shaft 54 located in the horizontal plane, and make the axis of the rotating shaft 54 parallel to the plane where the air inlet 531 is located, the cylindrical protrusion is arranged on two opposite side walls of the valve piece 52 extending in the vertical direction. In order to facilitate the installation and fixation of the valve piece 52, the valve body 51 is provided with a mounting groove 511 matched with the rotating shaft 54, the rotating shaft 54 is arranged in the mounting groove 511, and the rotating shaft 54 can rotate around the axis of the rotating shaft 54 in the mounting groove 511. In addition to the above-mentioned form, the rotating shaft 54 can also be arranged in other various forms, for example, the valve piece 52 can be hinged with the valve body 51 by a hinge structure. However, compared with other various forms of rotational connection, the rotating shaft 54 provided by the embodiment of the present application has the advantages of simple structure, easy manufacturing and low cost.
[0033] In the embodiment of the present application, refer to Figure 7The height of the mounting groove 511 in the vertical direction is greater than the diameter of the rotating shaft 54, and the mounting groove 511 has a certain height in the vertical direction, so that the rotating shaft 54 can rotate around the axis of the rotating shaft 54 in the mounting groove 511 and can slide in the vertical direction in the mounting groove 511. The mounting groove 511 is designed as a rectangle in the vertical direction, which can facilitate the installation of the rotating shaft 54, facilitate the placement of the rotating shaft 54 in the mounting groove 511, and improve the degree of freedom of the rotating shaft 54 in the mounting groove 511, so that the rotating shaft 54 can rotate around the axis of the rotating shaft 54 and slide in the vertical direction in the mounting groove 511. Since the air vent valve 5 is generally arranged in the door body 2, the door body 2 generally includes an inner side wall, an outer side wall, and a foaming layer between the inner side wall and the outer side wall, and the air vent valve 5 is usually arranged in the foaming layer. Once the air vent valve 5 is installed and fixed, it is difficult to disassemble and maintain the air vent valve 5. The refrigerator of the embodiment of the present application can improve the reliability of the air vent valve 5 by improving the degree of freedom of the rotating shaft 54 in the mounting groove 511. Even if the rotating shaft 54 cannot rotate smoothly around the axis of the rotating shaft 4, it can still slide in the vertical direction in the mounting groove 511, open or close the air inlet 531, and then connect the decompression channel 4, thereby improving the reliability of the air vent valve 5.
[0034] As shown in Figure 5 and Figure 9 , the valve body 51 includes a base 512 and a cover plate 513. The base 512 is concave downward to form a groove, and the cover plate 513 is arranged above the base 512 and detachably connected with the base 512. The cover plate 513 and the base 512 cooperate to form a valve cavity 53. The valve body 51 is designed in a split type with the base 512 and the cover plate 513, which facilitates the installation of the valve plate 52 and the valve body 51. The cover plate 513 is arranged above the base 512, which can prevent the rotating shaft 54 from sliding out of the mounting groove 511 when the rotating shaft 54 slides in the vertical direction in the mounting groove 511. Moreover, the cover plate 513 can prevent the rotating angle of the valve plate 52 from exceeding 180 degrees when the valve plate 52 rotates in the valve cavity 53, so as to ensure that the valve plate 52 can be reset to close the air inlet 413 under the action of gravity. The door body 2 usually includes a foaming layer, and the cover plate 513 can cooperate with the base 512 to close the valve cavity 53. When the air vent valve 5 is placed in the door body 2 and the door body 2 is foamed, the foaming material can be prevented from entering the valve cavity 53.
[0035] The refrigerator of the embodiment of the present application, with reference to Figure 1 and Figure 2The door body 1 comprises a door inner 21 close to the storage chamber 3, a door panel 22 away from the storage chamber 3, a door frame 23 arranged along the circumference of the door inner 21, and a heat insulation layer between the door inner 21, the door panel 22 and the door frame 23. In the embodiment, the decompression channel 4 and the air breather 5 are arranged in the door body 2, and the air breather 5 is arranged on the side of the door body 2 close to the door panel 22. Arranging the decompression channel 4 and the air breather 5 in the door body 2 can prevent the items in the storage chamber 3 from blocking the end of the decompression channel 4 connected with the storage chamber 3, and ensure that the decompression channel 4 and the air breather 5 can work normally. Arranging the air breather 5 on the side of the door body 2 close to the door panel 22 can prevent the phenomenon of icing on the two sides of the valve plate 52 due to the large temperature difference of the air, prevent the air breather 5 from structural failure, and ensure that the air breather 5 can work normally.
[0036] As shown in the refrigerator of the embodiment of the present application, Figure 1 and Figure 4 the decompression channel 4 comprises a first air pipe 41 fixed on the door frame 23, an end cover 42 covering the end of the first air pipe 41 close to the external space, a second air pipe 43 connecting the storage chamber 3 and the air breather 5, and a mounting seat 44 for fixing the second air pipe 43. Referring to Figure 3 , the first air pipe 41 is used for connecting the external space with the air inlet 531 of the air breather 5; one end of the first air pipe 41 penetrates through the door frame 23 and is connected with the external space, and the other end is connected with the air inlet 531 of the air breather 5, and the first air pipe 41 is fixed on the door frame 23. The end cover 42 is used for preventing foreign matters in the air from entering the decompression channel 4 and ensuring that the decompression channel 4 is not blocked by foreign matters; the end cover 42 is provided with an air hole, and the air enters the first air pipe 41 through the air hole. Optionally, the end cover 42 is clamped and fixed with the door frame 23 or the first air pipe 31. As shown in Figure 4 , the second air pipe 43 is used for connecting the air outlet 532 of the air breather 5 with the storage chamber 3; one end of the second air pipe 43 is connected with the air outlet 532 of the air breather 5, and the other end is connected with the storage chamber 3. The mounting seat 44 is fixed on the door inner 21, and the end of the second air pipe 43 connected with the storage chamber 3 is fixed on the mounting seat. The mounting seat 44 is provided with an air passage, one end of the mounting seat 44 is connected with the end of the second air pipe 43 close to the storage chamber 3, and the other end of the mounting seat 44 is connected with the storage chamber 3; fixing the end of the second air pipe 43 close to the storage chamber 3 on the mounting seat 44 can prevent the end of the second air pipe 43 close to the storage chamber 3 from being displaced when the door body 2 is foamed, and ensure that the second air pipe 43 can be connected with the storage chamber 3.
[0037] A water-blocking air permeable film 6 is arranged between the air breather 5 and the first air pipe 41, and the water-blocking air permeable film 6 is used for filtering the water vapor in the air entering the storage chamber 3. As shown in Figure 1 and Figure 4As shown, the water-blocking and air-permeable film 6 is arranged in series with the air-permeable valve 5 in the decompression channel 4, and the water-blocking and air-permeable film 6 is located on the side of the air-permeable valve 5 close to the external space. When there is negative pressure in the storage chamber 3, air flows from the external space to the storage chamber 3 through the decompression channel 4, and the air first passes through the water-blocking and air-permeable film 6 and then passes through the air-permeable valve 5. The water-blocking and air-permeable film 6 can block most of the water in the air, so as to reduce the water entering the air-permeable valve 5 and the storage chamber 3, and the reduction of the water entering the storage chamber 3 can reduce the amount of frost in the storage chamber 3, thereby reducing the frequency of defrosting by the user and further improving the user experience. The water-blocking and air-permeable film 6 is located on the side of the air-permeable valve 5 close to the external space, so that the water vapor entering the air-permeable valve 5 is reduced, which can prevent the air-permeable valve 5 from icing. Optionally, as shown in FIG. 6, the water-blocking and air-permeable film 6 is arranged between the air-permeable valve 5 and the first air pipe 41. When installed, the water-blocking and air-permeable film 6 is bonded to one end of the first air pipe 41 that is in communication with the air inlet 531 of the air-permeable valve 5. Figure 4 As shown, the water-blocking and air-permeable film 6 is arranged between the air-permeable valve 5 and the first air pipe 41. When installed, the water-blocking and air-permeable film 6 is bonded to one end of the first air pipe 41 that is in communication with the air inlet 531 of the air-permeable valve 5.
[0038] In order to further reduce the water content in the air entering the storage chamber from the decompression channel 4, in some embodiments, a molecular sieve is arranged in the second air pipe 43, and the molecular sieve is used to absorb the water in the air entering the second air pipe 43. After the air in the external space passes through the water-blocking and air-permeable film 5 and the molecular sieve, the air entering the storage chamber 3 is dry air, and the water content in the air is very small, thereby reducing the amount of frost in the storage chamber 3.
[0039] Optionally, the process of balancing the air pressure between the storage chamber 3 and the external space of the refrigerator according to the embodiments of the present application is as follows: when the air in the storage chamber 3 is cooled and shrinks, and negative pressure is generated in the storage chamber 3, the air pressure difference between the two sides of the valve piece 52 drives the valve piece 52 to rotate around the rotating shaft 4. The lower end of the valve piece 52 rotates away from the air inlet 531, as shown in FIG. 7. Figure 9 As shown, the valve piece 52 is separated from the first side wall 533, and the valve piece 52 opens the air inlet 531. At this time, the storage chamber 3 is in communication with the external space through the decompression channel 4. The air in the external space enters the first air pipe 41 through the air hole in the end cover 42, and then passes through the water-blocking and air-permeable film 6 and the air inlet 531 of the air-permeable valve 5, enters the valve cavity 53, and then enters the second air pipe 43 from the air outlet 532. After being dehydrated by the molecular sieve, the air passes through the mounting seat 44 and enters the storage chamber 3. The air entering the storage chamber 3 is dry air. The air in the external space enters the storage chamber 3, so that the air pressure in the storage chamber 3 increases. When the force applied to the valve piece 52 by the air pressure difference between the two sides of the valve piece 52 is less than the component of the gravity of the valve piece 52, the valve piece 52 rotates around the rotating shaft 54 under the action of gravity, as shown in FIG. 8. Figure 8As shown, the lower end of the valve piece 52 rotates towards the direction close to the air inlet 531, the valve piece 52 is attached to the first side wall 533, the air inlet 531 is closed, and the air stops entering the storage compartment 3 from the external space. At this time, the air vent valve 5 can prevent the air in the storage compartment 3 from exchanging heat with the air in the external space.
[0040] It should be noted that the decompression channel 4 and the air vent valve 5 provided in the embodiments of the present application can be applied not only to the refrigerator but also to other refrigeration equipment having a closed space and forming negative pressure. For example, the decompression channel 4 and the air vent valve 5 can also be used in a direct-cooling refrigerator.
[0041] In the description of the present specification, specific features, structures or characteristics can be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner.
[0042] The above is only a specific implementation of the present application, but the protection scope of the present application is not limited thereto, any person skilled in the art can easily think of changes or replacements within the technical range disclosed by the present application, which should be covered within the protection scope of the present application. Therefore, the protection scope of the present application should be subject to the protection scope of the claims.
Claims
1. A refrigerator, comprising: a cabinet forming a storage chamber; a door hinged to the cabinet, the door being used to open or close the storage chamber; characterized in that the door comprises: a decompression passage for connecting the storage chamber with an external space; a breather valve provided in the decompression passage, the breather valve being in a closed state to shut off the decompression passage and in an open state to open the decompression passage; wherein when a pressure difference between the external space and the storage chamber reaches a certain threshold, a pushing force acting on the breather valve is formed to make the breather valve change from the closed state to the open state; the breather valve comprising: a valve body forming a valve cavity, the valve body being provided with an air inlet and an air outlet communicating with the valve cavity, the air inlet being in communication with the external space, and the air outlet being in communication with the storage chamber; a valve disc located in the valve cavity, the valve disc covering the air inlet, the valve disc being rotatably connected to the valve body through a rotating shaft, the valve disc being used to open or close the air inlet; when the pushing force is greater than a gravity component of the valve disc to be overcome, the valve disc rotates to open the air inlet; when the pushing force is less than the gravity component of the valve disc, the valve disc rotates to close the air inlet; the valve cavity comprises a bottom wall and a side wall, the air inlet is located on the side wall of the valve cavity, and the side wall where the air inlet is located is a first side wall; the first side wall forms a certain angle with the vertical direction, and the lower end of the first side wall is inclined towards the inside of the valve cavity; the rotating shaft is located at the top of the valve disc, and the extension direction of the rotating shaft is parallel to the first side wall; the rotating shaft is a cylindrical protrusion formed by the outward protrusion of the top of the valve disc, the cylindrical protrusion is arranged on two opposite side walls of the valve disc extending in the vertical direction; the valve body is provided with a mounting groove matched with the rotating shaft at a position corresponding to the rotating shaft, and the rotating shaft is located in the mounting groove; the height of the mounting groove in the vertical direction is greater than the diameter of the rotating shaft, so that the rotating shaft can slide in the vertical direction in the mounting groove.
2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the valve body comprises: a base, the base is recessed downward to form a groove; a cover plate, the cover plate is arranged above the base, the cover plate is detachably connected to the base, and the cover plate and the base cooperate to form the valve cavity.
3. The refrigerator according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the door comprises a door liner close to the storage chamber, a door panel away from the storage chamber, a door frame, and a heat insulation layer located between the door liner, the door panel and the door frame; the decompression passage and the breather valve are located between the door panel and the door liner, and the breather valve is located on the side of the door close to the door panel.
4. The refrigerator according to claim 3, wherein the decompression passage comprises: a first air pipe, the first air pipe is fixed on the door frame, and the first air pipe is used to connect the external space with the breather valve; an end cover, the end cover covers one end of the first air pipe in communication with the external space, and is used to prevent foreign matters from entering the first air pipe, the end cover is provided with an air hole; a second air pipe, the second air pipe is used to connect the breather valve with the storage chamber. A mounting seat is fixed on the door liner, one end of the second air pipe communicated with the storage chamber is fixedly connected with the mounting seat, and a gas permeation passage is arranged in the mounting seat, which is used for communicating the second air pipe with the storage chamber.
5. The refrigerator according to claim 4, wherein A water-blocking gas permeation film is arranged between the gas permeation valve and the first air pipe, which is used for blocking water vapor in the air entering the storage chamber.
6. The refrigerator according to claim 4, wherein Molecular sieves are arranged in the second air pipe, which are used for absorbing moisture in the air passing through the second air pipe.
Citation Information
Patent Citations
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