Hinge and refrigeration equipment having the same

Abstract

The present invention provides a hinge and a refrigeration device having the same. The hinge includes a cabinet hinge seat assembled to a cabinet body and a door hinge seat assembled to a door body. The door hinge seat is rotatably connected to the cabinet hinge seat. The door hinge seat has an open position for opening the door body. The hinge further includes a limiting mechanism. When the door hinge seat is in the open position, the limiting mechanism restricts the door hinge seat from rotating outward relative to the cabinet hinge seat. The limiting mechanism is provided on at least one of the door hinge seat, the cabinet hinge seat, the door body and the cabinet body. For the hinge of the present invention and the refrigeration device having the same, the maximum angle of the door hinge seat rotating outward relative to the cabinet hinge seat can be limited by the limiting mechanism, and the door hinge seat can hover at the maximum angle, that is, the maximum opening angle of the door body is limited, and the door body hovers after being opened, so as to facilitate the user to access items.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of refrigeration equipment, and particularly to a hinge and a refrigeration equipment having the same. Background Art

[0002] Refrigeration equipment such as refrigerators, freezers, wine cabinets, etc. usually use hinges to connect the door body and the cabinet body to realize the opening or closing of the door body. Generally, the door body can be opened no more than 90° to access items.

[0003] However, after the door body of the existing refrigeration equipment is opened, it cannot hover after being opened. It can only hold the door body by hand or use external tools to fix the door body in the open position, which is extremely inconvenient to operate, prolongs the time required for accessing items, causes a large amount of cold leakage, increases energy consumption, and is not conducive to environmental protection. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To solve the above technical problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a hinge and a refrigeration equipment having the same, so as to solve the problem that the existing hinge cannot make the door body of the refrigeration equipment hover after being opened.

[0005] To achieve one of the above-mentioned invention objects, an embodiment of the present invention provides a hinge, which includes a cabinet hinge seat assembled on the cabinet body and a door hinge seat assembled on the door body. The door hinge seat is rotatably connected to the cabinet hinge seat. The door hinge seat has an open position for opening the door body. The hinge further includes a limiting mechanism. When the door hinge seat is in the open position, the limiting mechanism restricts the door hinge seat from rotating outward relative to the cabinet hinge seat. The limiting mechanism is provided on at least one of the door hinge seat, the cabinet hinge seat, the door body and the cabinet body.

[0006] As a further improvement of an embodiment of the present invention, the limiting mechanism includes a stopping portion provided on the door hinge seat and a limiting portion provided on the cabinet hinge seat. When the door hinge seat is in the open position, the stopping portion abuts against the limiting portion to restrict the door hinge seat from rotating outward relative to the cabinet hinge seat.

[0007] As a further improvement of an embodiment of the present invention, the door hinge seat includes a base plate and a pair of opposite side edges. The pair of side edges are respectively connected to opposite ends of the base plate and extend in the same direction. The stopping portion is a flanging provided at one end of the side edge away from the base plate, and the flanging extends from the side edge where it is located away from the other side edge. When the door hinge seat is in the open position, the flanging abuts against the limiting portion to restrict the door hinge seat from rotating outward relative to the cabinet hinge seat.

[0008] As a further improvement of an embodiment of the present invention, the cabinet hinge seat includes a bottom plate and a pair of side plates disposed opposite to each other. The pair of side plates are respectively connected to opposite ends of the bottom plate and extend in the same direction. The pair of side edges are located between the pair of side plates, and the limiting portion is provided at an end of the side plate away from the bottom plate.

[0009] As a further improvement of an embodiment of the present invention, an end of the side plate close to the door hinge seat has an arc surface. The limiting portion is connected to the arc surface and extends along a tangent direction away from the door hinge seat from the arc surface. The door hinge seat has a closed position for closing the door. When the door hinge seat is in the closed position, the flanging is separated from the arc surface.

[0010] As a further improvement of an embodiment of the present invention, the thickness of an end of the flanging close to the limiting portion in the inner and outer directions is greater than the thickness of an end of the flanging away from the limiting portion in the inner and outer directions.

[0011] As a further improvement of an embodiment of the present invention, an end of the flanging facing the limiting portion is arc-shaped.

[0012] As a further improvement of an embodiment of the present invention, an end of the flanging close to the limiting portion is first bent inward and then bent in a direction away from the limiting portion.

[0013] As a further improvement of an embodiment of the present invention, the cabinet hinge seat is provided with a long groove extending along its longitudinal direction. The hinge further includes a connecting member, a movable shaft and an elastic member. The movable shaft is fitted in the long groove. The connecting member is rotatably connected to the door hinge seat and the movable shaft and drives the movable shaft to move linearly along the extending direction of the long groove. One end of the elastic member is connected to the movable shaft and moves synchronously with the movable shaft, and the other end of the elastic member abuts against the cabinet hinge seat.

[0014] As a further improvement of an embodiment of the present invention, the long groove has an extreme proximal end close to the door hinge seat. When the door hinge seat is in the open position, there is a gap between the movable shaft and the extreme proximal end, and the elastic member has a compressive deformation amount.

[0015] As a further improvement of an embodiment of the present invention, the cabinet hinge seat includes a bottom plate that abuts against the cabinet. The door hinge seat also has a closed position for closing the door. During the process of the door hinge seat rotating from the closed position to the open position, the connecting member and the bottom plate do not interfere with each other.

[0016] As a further improvement of an embodiment of the present invention, the connecting member includes a first connecting end, a second connecting end, and a main body connecting the first connecting end and the second connecting end. The first connecting end is rotatably connected to the movable shaft, the second connecting end is rotatably connected to the door hinge seat of the door body, and the main body is recessed in a direction away from the bottom plate.

[0017] As a further improvement of an embodiment of the present invention, the cabinet hinge seat includes a bottom plate abutting against the cabinet body. The hinge further includes a pivot shaft. The door hinge seat and the cabinet hinge seat are pivotally connected through the pivot shaft. The movable shaft is parallel to the pivot shaft, and the plane formed by the axes of the two is parallel to the bottom plate.

[0018] As a further improvement of an embodiment of the present invention, the hinge further includes a swing shaft. The connecting member and the door hinge seat are pivotally connected through the swing shaft. The door hinge seat also has a closed position for closing the door body. When the door hinge seat is in the closed position, the axis of the swing shaft is located on the plane formed by the axes of the movable shaft and the pivot shaft.

[0019] As a further improvement of an embodiment of the present invention, the door hinge seat includes a pair of oppositely arranged side edges, the cabinet hinge seat includes a pair of oppositely arranged side plates, the pair of side edges are located between the pair of side plates, and the hinge further includes a swing shaft. The swing shaft connects the pair of side edges and is located between the pair of side plates.

[0020] As a further improvement of an embodiment of the present invention, the cabinet hinge seat further includes a bottom plate connecting the pair of side plates. The pair of side plates are located on the same side of the bottom plate. When the door hinge seat is in the open position, the axis of the swing shaft is located on the plane where the bottom plate is located, or the axis of the swing shaft is located on the side of the plane where the bottom plate is located away from the side plate.

[0021] To achieve one of the above-mentioned invention purposes, an embodiment of the present invention further provides a refrigeration device, including a cabinet body and a door body assembled on the cabinet body, and further including the hinge as described above. The cabinet hinge seat is fixedly connected to the cabinet body, and the door hinge seat is fixedly connected to the door body.

[0022] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: For the hinge of the present invention and the refrigeration device having the same, the maximum angle of the outward rotation of the door hinge seat relative to the cabinet hinge seat can be limited by the limiting mechanism, and the door hinge seat can be suspended at the maximum angle, that is, the maximum opening angle of the door body is limited, and the door body can be suspended after being opened, so as to facilitate the user to access items. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] Figure 1 Schematic perspective view of a refrigeration device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 2 Longitudinal sectional view of a refrigeration device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 3 For Figure 2 Enlarged schematic view of part A in

[0026] Figure 4 Schematic perspective view of a hinge according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing the state of the door hinge seat in the closed position

[0027] Figure 5 Schematic perspective view of a hinge according to another embodiment of the present invention, showing the state of the door hinge seat in the closed position;

[0028] Figure 6 For Figure 5 Right view of

[0029] Figure 7 For Figure 6 Enlarged schematic view of part B in

[0030] Figure 8 Partial structural schematic view of a hinge according to a modified embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 9 For Figure 5 Schematic perspective view from another angle, showing the state of the door hinge seat in the open position;

[0032] Figure 10 For Figure 9 Left view of

[0033] Figure 11 Schematic perspective view of a hinge according to another modified embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 12 For Figure 11 Enlarged schematic view of part C in

[0035] Figure 13 Schematic perspective view of a movable shaft according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 14 Schematic perspective view of an elastic member according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 15 Front view of a hinge according to still another embodiment of the present invention. Detailed implementation manners

[0038] The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.

[0039] In the various diagrams of the present invention, for the convenience of illustration, certain dimensions of the structure or part are enlarged relative to other structures or parts. Therefore, it is only used to illustrate the basic structure of the subject matter of the present invention.

[0040] It should be understood that although terms such as first, second, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements or structures, the objects described should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish these described objects from each other.

[0041] Referring to Figures 1 to 3 , a refrigeration device provided by an embodiment of the present invention includes a hinge 1, a cabinet 2, and a door 3. The cabinet 2 has a refrigeration compartment for storing and refrigerating items. The door 3 is assembled to the cabinet 2 and can rotate relative to the cabinet 2 to open or close the refrigeration compartment. The refrigeration device can specifically be set as a refrigerator, a freezer, a wine cabinet, etc., especially a large-capacity or ultra-thin refrigeration device.

[0042] The hinge 1 includes a cabinet hinge seat 11 and a door hinge seat 12 rotatably connected to the cabinet hinge seat 11 through a pivot shaft 13. Among them, the cabinet hinge seat 11 is fixedly connected to the cabinet 2, and the door hinge seat 12 is fixedly connected to the door 3. By rotating the door hinge seat 12 relative to the cabinet hinge seat 11, the door 3 is driven to rotate relative to the cabinet 2 to open or close the refrigeration compartment.

[0043] For the convenience of description, in this embodiment, taking the refrigeration device placed horizontally on the ground as an example, when the door 3 is in the closed state, the direction from the door 3 to the cabinet 2 is defined as the direction from top to bottom. Correspondingly, the door hinge seat 12 is located above the cabinet hinge seat 11. The side of the hinge 1 facing the refrigeration device is defined as the inner side, and the side of the hinge 1 facing away from the refrigeration device is defined as the outer side. When the user faces the hinge 1 from the outside, the two sides of the hinge 1 are respectively defined as left and right.

[0044] The cabinet hinge seat 11 includes a bottom plate 111 that abuts against the outer wall of the cabinet 2 and a pair of side plates 112 arranged opposite to each other left and right. The pair of side plates 112 are respectively connected to the left and right ends of the bottom plate 111 and extend in the same direction. Specifically, in this embodiment, the pair of side plates 112 respectively extend outward from the bottom plate 111.

[0045] Referring to Figure 4, in one embodiment, the hinge 1 further includes an elastic member 17. One end of the elastic member 17 is rotatably connected to the door hinge seat 12, and the other end of the elastic member 17 abuts against the cabinet hinge seat 11. By setting the elastic member 17 and controlling various parameters such as its deformation amount, the angle of rotation of the door hinge seat 12 relative to the cabinet hinge seat 11 is controlled, thereby controlling the angle at which the door 3 opens relative to the cabinet 2. The arc-shaped groove provided in the solid hinge 1 seat is cancelled, avoiding the limitation of the hinge 1 by the size and bearing strength of the arc-shaped groove, so that the thickness of the hinge 1 can be made thinner. In addition, the elastic restoring force of the elastic member 17 can provide an upward supporting force to the door hinge seat 12, and the tangential component force of this supporting force along the swinging direction of the door hinge seat 12 can make it easier to open the door, solving problems such as difficult door opening caused by the heavy weight of the door 3 in the refrigeration equipment.

[0046] See Figures 5 to 6 , further, the cabinet hinge seat 11 has a pair of long grooves 113 arranged oppositely. The pair of long grooves 113 both extend along the longitudinal length direction of the cabinet hinge seat 11. In this example, the pair of long grooves 113 are respectively arranged oppositely left and right on a pair of side plates 112 and extend vertically.

[0047] The hinge 1 further includes a swinging shaft 14, a connecting member 15, a movable shaft 16 and an elastic member 17, and the swinging shaft 14, the movable shaft 16 and the pivot shaft 13 are arranged parallel to each other in the left-right direction. The connecting member 15 is pivotally connected to the door hinge seat 12 through the swinging shaft 14, and the movable shaft 16 is fitted in the pair of long grooves 113; the upper end of the connecting member 15 is connected to the swinging shaft 14, and the lower end of the connecting member 15 is connected to the movable shaft 16, so that the connecting member 15 rotatably connects the door hinge seat 12 and the movable shaft 16 and drives the movable shaft 16 to move linearly along the length direction of the long groove 113, that is, the connecting member 15 drives the movable shaft 16 to move up and down in the long groove 113; one end of the elastic member 17 is connected to the movable shaft 16, and the elastic member 17 moves synchronously with the movable shaft 16, and the other end of the elastic member 17 abuts against the cabinet hinge seat 11. In this way, when the door hinge seat 12 rotates relative to the cabinet hinge seat 11 around the pivot shaft 13, the swinging shaft 14 swings accordingly and pulls the connecting member 15 to drive the movable shaft 16 to move together. Moreover, during the movement, under the mutual limitation of each component, the swinging shaft 14, the movable shaft 16 and the pivot shaft 13 are always in a parallel state, and the door hinge seat 12, the pivot shaft 13, the swinging shaft 14, the connecting member 15, the movable shaft 16, the elastic member 17 and the cabinet hinge seat 11 together constitute a crank-slider mechanism, converting the pivotal movement of the door hinge seat 12 into the linear movement of the movable shaft 16 and the elastic member 17. Compared with the arc movement of the movable shaft 16 and the elastic member 17, the moving space required for the movement of the elastic member 17 is greatly reduced, especially in the inner-outer direction. Therefore, the thickness of the hinge 1 can be made thinner.

[0048] See Figure 6 and Figures 9 to 10, the long groove 113 has an extreme proximal end 1131 close to the door hinge seat 12 and an extreme distal end 1132 far from the door hinge seat 12. In this embodiment, the extreme proximal end 1131 is above the extreme distal end 1132.

[0049] The door hinge seat 12 has a closed position for closing the door body 3 and an open position for opening the door body 3. Figures 3 to 6 The state of the door hinge seat 12 in the closed position is shown. Figures 9 to 10 The state of the door hinge seat 12 in the open position is shown. The open position here is defined as the position of the door hinge seat 12 relative to the cabinet hinge seat 11 when the door body 3 is opened to the set maximum angle, and the maximum angle is usually set such that the angle between the door body 3 and the horizontal direction is 81° to 88°.

[0050] Further, the hinge 1 further includes a limiting mechanism. When the door hinge seat 12 is in the open position, the limiting mechanism restricts the door hinge seat 12 from rotating outward relative to the cabinet hinge seat 11, and the limiting mechanism is provided on at least one of the door hinge seat 12, the cabinet hinge seat 11, the door body 3 and the cabinet 2. Through the limiting mechanism, the maximum angle of the door hinge seat 12 rotating outward relative to the cabinet hinge seat 11 can be defined, and the door hinge seat 12 can be suspended at this maximum angle, that is, the maximum opening angle of the door body 3 is defined, and the door body 3 can be suspended after being opened, so as to facilitate the user to access items.

[0051] Specifically, the limiting mechanism includes a limiting portion and a stopping portion 123, and the stopping portion 123 abuts against the limiting portion to restrict the door hinge seat 12 from rotating outward relative to the cabinet hinge seat 11.

[0052] See Figures 4 to 7 , in this embodiment, for the sake of easy distinction, the limiting portion here is represented by the first limiting portion 114. The door hinge seat 12 is provided with a stopping portion 123, and the cabinet hinge seat 11 is provided with a first limiting portion 114 at one end close to the door hinge seat 12. That is to say, the first limiting portion 114 is provided at the upper end of the cabinet hinge seat 11.

[0053] See Figures 4 to 7 , further, the door hinge seat 12 includes a base plate 121 and a pair of opposite side edges 122. The pair of side edges 122 are respectively connected to opposite ends of the base plate 121 and extend in the same direction. The stopping portion 123 is a flange provided at the end of the side edge 122 far from the base plate 121, and the flange extends from the side edge 122 where it is located away from the other side edge 122. When the door hinge seat 12 is in the open position, the flange abuts against the first limiting portion 114 to restrict the door hinge seat 12 from rotating outward relative to the cabinet hinge seat 11.

[0054] Specifically, in this embodiment, the substrate 121 abuts against the door body 3. A pair of side edges 122 are respectively connected to the left and right ends of the substrate 121 and extend outward from the substrate 121. The pair of side edges 122 are both located between a pair of side plates 112 and correspond to the pair of side plates 112 one by one. Axial ends of the swing shaft 14 are respectively connected to the pair of side edges 122, and the swing shaft 14 is located between the pair of side plates 112, that is, the swing shaft 14 is not connected to the pair of side plates 112. Such a setting cancels the arc-shaped groove provided in the cabinet hinge seat 11 in the prior art, avoids the limitation of the hinge 1 by the size and bearing strength of the arc-shaped groove, can reduce the thickness of the hinge 1, increase the packing quantity of the refrigeration equipment during storage and transportation, and reduce the occupied space during use.

[0055] Further, the flanging extends from the side edge 122 where it is located toward the side plate 112 corresponding to the side edge 122.

[0056] Preferably, in this embodiment, the stopping portion 123 includes a pair of flangings. Each flanging is correspondingly provided on one side edge 122. The pair of flangings extend away from each other and respectively extend toward the side plate 112 corresponding to the side edge 122 where they are located. The pair of flangings jointly bear the gravity of the door body 3, can reduce the load borne by each flanging, and extend its service life. In other embodiments, only one flanging may be provided.

[0057] See Figures 6 to 7 and Figures 9 to 10 , further, one end of the side edge 122 close to the door hinge seat 12, that is, the upper end, has an arc surface 115. The first limiting portion 114 is connected to the arc surface 115 and extends away from the door hinge seat 12 along the tangent direction of the arc surface 115 from the arc surface 115, that is, the first limiting portion 114 extends downward along the tangent direction of the arc surface 115 from the arc surface 115. That is to say, the first limiting portion 114 is provided at one end of the side plate 112 away from the bottom plate 111; when the door hinge seat 12 is in the closed position, the stopping portion 123 is separated from the arc surface 115, and the door hinge seat 12 can rotate relative to the cabinet hinge seat 11 without hindrance. When the door hinge seat 12 rotates to a set opening angle, that is, when the door hinge seat 12 is in the open position, the first limiting portion 114 abuts against the stopping portion 123 to limit the door hinge seat 12 from continuing to rotate relative to the cabinet hinge seat 11, thereby limiting the door body 3 to open to a set maximum angle. At this time, the door body 3 can hover.

[0058] Specifically, see Figure 7, in this embodiment, the upper end of the side plate 112 has an arc surface 115. When the door hinge seat 12 is in the closed position, the flange is separated from the arc surface 115; when the door hinge seat 12 is in the open position, the flange abuts against the first limiting portion 114. In other embodiments, the first limiting portion 114 may also be a protrusion protruding from the arc surface 115.

[0059] See Figure 8 , preferably, in a variant embodiment, the thickness of the end of the flange near the first limiting portion 114 in the inner and outer direction is greater than the thickness of the end of the flange far from the first limiting portion 114 in the inner and outer direction, which can prevent the end of the flange near the first limiting portion 114 from being damaged as the main stress-bearing part.

[0060] Furthermore, the end of the flange facing the first limiting portion 114 is arc-shaped, so as to reduce the damage to the first limiting portion 114 when abutting against the first limiting portion 114.

[0061] Specifically, the end of the flange near the first limiting portion 114 is first bent inward and then along the direction away from the first limiting portion 114, which can improve the strength of the flange, reduce the processing difficulty, and improve the processing efficiency.

[0062] In the prior art, when an external force is applied to rotate the door body 3 to the open position, the movable shaft 16 drives the elastic member 17 to move to the extreme proximal end 1131 of the long groove 113. The downward acting force of the extreme proximal end 1131 of the long groove 113 on the movable shaft 16 is transmitted to the swing shaft 14 to form a downward and outward bias tension of the connecting member 15 on the swing shaft 14. A balance is achieved among the external force, the gravity of the door body 3, the friction of the hinge 1, and the tension of the connecting member 15 on the swing shaft 14. The contact point between the pivot shaft 13 and the side plate 112 of the cabinet hinge seat 11 is located on the upper and inner side of the pivot shaft 13. The contact point between the swing shaft 14 and the door hinge seat 12 is located on the lower and outer side of the swing shaft 14. And the contact point between the swing shaft 14 and the connecting member 15 is located on the upper and inner side of the swing shaft 14. At this time, when the external force is removed, due to the inevitable fitting clearances between the pivot shaft 13, the swing shaft 14 and the respective components rotatably mating therewith, especially there is a clearance at the lower and outer side of the swing shaft 14 at the mating portion of the connecting member 15 and the swing shaft 14. This clearance provides a displacement space for the swing shaft 14 to move downward and outward. Under the influence of the gravity of the door body 3, the door body 3 will drive the door hinge seat 12 to rebound. Specifically, the contact point between the pivot shaft 13 and the side plate 112 of the cabinet hinge seat 11 moves downward along the inner side of the pivot shaft 13, and the contact point between the swing shaft 14 and the door hinge seat 12 moves upward along the outer side of the swing shaft 14 until the contact point between the swing shaft 14 and the connecting member 15 moves to the lower and outer side of the swing shaft 14. At this time, the swing shaft 14 abuts against the connecting member 15 and then stops moving, and the door hinge seat 12 stops rebounding, so that the door body 3 can hover. That is to say, the door body 3 cannot hover at the set maximum angle.

[0063] To solve the above technical problems, further, when the door hinge seat 12 rotates outward relative to the cabinet body hinge seat 11 to the open door position, the stopping portion 123 abuts against the first limiting portion 114. At this time, a first gap can be formed between the movable shaft 16 and the extreme proximal end 1131 of the long slot 113, and the elastic member 17 has a first compressive deformation amount. In this way, when an external force is applied to rotate the door body 3 to the open door position, due to the existence of the first gap, under the action of its elastic restoring force, the elastic member 17 applies an upward thrust to the connecting member 15, which is transmitted to the swing shaft 14 to form an upward and inward bias thrust of the connecting member 15 on the swing shaft 14. The contact point between the swing shaft 14 and the connecting member 15 is located at the outer side and lower side of the swing shaft 14. When the external force is removed, due to the first compressive deformation amount of the elastic member 17, under the action of its elastic restoring force, the elastic member 17 applies an upward thrust to the connecting member 15, which is transmitted to the swing shaft 14 to form an upward and inward bias thrust of the connecting member 15 on the swing shaft 14, so that the contact point between the swing shaft 14 and the door hinge seat 12 is located at the inner side and upper side of the swing shaft 14. Even under the action of the gravity of the door body 3, no displacement space for the swing shaft 14 to move upward along the inner side relative to the door hinge seat 12 can be provided. Therefore, the problem of the door body 3 rebounding after the external force is removed is solved, and the door body 3 hovers at the open door position. That is to say, when the stopping portion 123 abuts against the first limiting portion 114, the door body 3 is located at the open door position.

[0064] See Figures 4 to 10 , further, a second limiting portion 116 is further provided at one end of the cabinet body hinge seat 11 close to the door hinge seat 12. The second limiting portion 116 is located on the path of the door hinge seat 12 rotating inward relative to the cabinet body hinge seat 11 from the closed door position. The stopping portion 123 can abut against the second limiting portion 116 to limit the inward rotation of the door hinge seat 12 relative to the cabinet body hinge seat 11 from the closed door position, thereby avoiding the back-and-forth rotation of the door hinge seat 12 relative to the cabinet body hinge seat 11 and causing wear or even damage to it, reducing the required loading and transportation space. At the same time, this position is relatively close to the closed door position of the door hinge seat 12, and the door hinge seat 12 can be fixed without the need for workers to support it with their hands or other tools during assembly, greatly improving the assembly efficiency.

[0065] Further, when the door hinge seat 12 rotates inward by a preset angle relative to the cabinet hinge seat 11 from the closed position, the stopping portion 123 abuts against the second limiting portion 116. At this time, there is a second gap between the movable shaft 16 and the extreme distal end 1132 of the long slot 113, and the elastic member 17 has a second compressive deformation amount. The second compressive deformation amount is greater than the first compressive deformation amount. Under the elastic restoring force of the elastic member 17, the connecting member 15 provides an upward and inward-biased thrust to the swing shaft 14, thereby pushing the door hinge seat 12 to continue rotating inward. However, the acting force exerted by the second limiting portion 116 on the door hinge seat 12 prevents the door hinge seat 12 from rotating inward. And the movable shaft 16 approaches the extreme distal end 1132 of the long slot 113, and the elastic member 17 has a large compressive deformation amount. Therefore, a large elastic restoring force can be provided. Under the combined action of the elastic member 17 and the second limiting portion 116, the door hinge seat 12 can be maintained at this position without rotating inward or outward. The preset angle is not greater than 10°. In this way, the door hinge seat 12 can maintain this preset angle relative to the cabinet hinge seat 11, which is convenient for packaging, transportation and assembly. It avoids the door hinge seat 12 rotating back and forth relative to the cabinet hinge seat 11, causing wear or even damage to it, reduces the required loading and transportation space, and at the same time this position is relatively close to the closed position of the door hinge seat 12. When workers assemble, they do not need to use their hands or other tools to support the door hinge seat 12 separately to fix it, which greatly improves the assembly efficiency.

[0066] Specifically, in this embodiment, the second limiting portion 116 is provided on the arc surface 115 at the upper end of the cabinet hinge seat 11. When the door hinge seat 12 is in the closed position, the base plate 121 and the bottom plate 111 are substantially in the same plane; when the door hinge seat 12 rotates inward by a certain angle relative to the cabinet hinge seat 11 from the closed position, the flanging abuts against the second limiting portion 116, and the swing shaft 14 drives the connecting member 15 to swing outward.

[0067] Further, the second limiting portion 116 is a protrusion provided at the upper end of the cabinet hinge seat 11, and the protrusion is provided on the arc surface 115.

[0068] Preferably, the end of the flanging close to the side plate 112 is first folded towards the protrusion and then towards the direction away from the side plate 112 to improve the strength of the flanging and extend its service life.

[0069] Each side plate 112 includes a first section 1121 and a second section 1122 that are sequentially arranged from bottom to top and are connected to each other. The first section 1121 is connected to the bottom plate 111, the second section 1122 protrudes from the bottom plate 111 and is rotatably connected to the door hinge seat 12. A pair of side edges 122 correspond to a pair of side plates 112 one by one, and the second section 1122 of each side plate 112 is rotatably connected to the corresponding side edge 122.

[0070] See also Figures 11 to 12 In a variation of the embodiment, the stop portion 123 may also be disposed at one end of the side edge 122 close to the substrate 121 , or the stop portion 123 may be disposed on the substrate 121 , and accordingly, the second limiting portion 116 may be disposed at one end of the second section 1122 facing the substrate 121 .

[0071] Specifically, the stopper 123 is a folded edge disposed at one end of the side edge 122 close to the base plate 121 , and the folded edge protrudes from the side edge 122 where the folded edge is located toward the side plate 112 corresponding to the side edge 122 .

[0072] The upper ends of a pair of side panels 112 of the cabinet hinge seat 11 protrude from the bottom plate 111, and the lower end of the door hinge seat 12 is connected to the upper ends of the pair of side panels 112 through a pivot shaft 13, that is, there is a certain distance between the bottom plate 111 and the base plate 121, thereby providing space for the swinging of the swing shaft 14 and the connecting member 15; when the door body 3 is in a closed state, that is, when the door hinge seat 12 is in the said closed position, the swing shaft 14 is located below the pivot shaft 13.

[0073] See also Figure 3 There is a cavity 4 between the cabinet body 2 and the door body 3, and the cavity 4 is located on the side of the plane where the bottom plate 111 is located facing the cabinet body 2. During the rotation of the door hinge seat 12 from the closed position to the open position, the swing shaft 14 swings from the side of the plane where the bottom plate 111 is located away from the cabinet body 2 toward the cabinet body 2 to the cavity 4, that is, the swing shaft 14 swings from the outside to the inside to the cavity 4, and in this process, the swing shaft 14 does not interfere with other structures of the refrigeration equipment, so that the swing of the swing shaft 14 is not affected by the cabinet hinge seat 11. The swing of the hinge 14 can be limited by the cavity 4 between the cabinet body 2 and the door body 3, so that when the door hinge seat 12 is rotated to the door opening position, the swing shaft 14 swings to the point where its axis is located on the plane where the bottom plate 111 is located, or the swing shaft 14 swings to the point where its axis is located on the side of the plane where the bottom plate 111 is located away from the side plate 112, that is, toward the side of the cabinet body 2. In other words, the swing shaft 14 can swing back and forth on both sides of the plane where the bottom plate 111 is located, thereby further reducing the thickness of the hinge 1 without affecting the strength of the hinge 1.

[0074] Furthermore, during the process of the door hinge seat 12 rotating from the door closing position to the door opening position, the connecting member 15 and the bottom plate 111 do not interfere with each other. Preferably, the connecting member 15 and the cabinet hinge seat 11 do not interfere with each other. Specifically, this can be achieved by setting the distance between the bottom plate 111 and the base plate 121, so that the swing shaft 14 can smoothly swing from the side of the plane where the bottom plate 111 is located away from the cabinet 2 to the cavity 4, so that the thickness of the hinge 1 can be further made thinner.

[0075] See also Figure 3 , Figure 5, and Figure 9 , further, the connecting member 15 further includes a first connecting end 151, a second connecting end 152, and a main body 153 connecting the first connecting end 151 and the second connecting end 152. The first connecting end 151 is connected to the movable shaft 16, the second connecting end 152 is connected to the swing shaft 14, and the main body 153 is recessed in a direction away from the bottom plate 111. Preferably, one end of the main body 153 facing the cabinet body 2 is recessed away from the bottom plate 111, that is, recessed in a direction away from the cabinet body 2, which can avoid interference between the connecting member 15 and the bottom plate 111, so that the swing shaft 14 can swing smoothly into the cavity 4, and even the swing amplitude of the swing shaft 14 into the cavity 4 can be greater.

[0076] See Figure 3 and Figure 10 , further, the plane formed by the axes of the pivot shaft 13 and the movable shaft 16 is parallel to the bottom plate 111, which can also reduce the thickness of the hinge 1.

[0077] See Figure 3 and Figure 6 , further, when the door hinge seat 12 is in the closed position, the axis of the swing shaft 14 is located on the plane formed by the axes of the movable shaft 16 and the pivot shaft 13. Such a setting can not only make the thickness of the hinge 1 thinner, further increase the packing quantity during the transportation of the refrigeration equipment, but also maximize the supporting effect of the elastic member 17 on the connecting member 15, achieving the effect of saving effort in opening the door.

[0078] See Figure 5 , further, the end of the elastic member 17 connected to the movable shaft 16 is located between a pair of first connecting ends 151. This limits the range of axial movement of the connecting member 15 along the movable shaft 16, and a pair of first connecting ends 151 can share the force, enabling the movable shaft 16 to drive the elastic member 17 to move smoothly.

[0079] See Figure 5 , further, the movable shaft 16 includes a pair of fixing portions 161 arranged at intervals along its axial direction, and the elastic member 17 is clamped between the pair of fixing portions 161.

[0080] Preferably, a pair of fixing portions 161 respectively abut against the elastic member 17 to limit the axial movement of the elastic member 17 along the movable shaft 16.

[0081] Preferably, a pair of fixing portions 161 are both located between a pair of connection ends and respectively abut against a pair of first connection ends 151 to limit the axial movement of the connecting member 15 along the movable shaft 16. That is to say, a pair of first connection ends 151 are respectively located on the left and right sides of a pair of fixing portions 161, and the elastic member 17 is located between a pair of fixing portions 161. In this embodiment, a pair of fixing portions 161 are respectively located on the left and right sides of the elastic member 17, and one of the first connection ends 151 is located on the left side of the left fixing portion 161 and abuts against the left fixing portion 161, and the other first connection end 151 is located on the right side of the right fixing portion 161 and abuts against the right fixing portion 161. In this way, the connecting member 15 can be fixed relative to the movable shaft 16 and will not move left and right along the movable shaft 16, making the force more stable.

[0082] See Figure 13 , specifically, the movable shaft 16 includes a main body 162, and the fixing portion 161 is provided on the outer side of the main body 162 and is integrally provided with the main body 162, which is beneficial to improving the connection strength of the fixing portion 161.

[0083] Preferably, the fixing portion 161 is cylindrical and coaxially arranged with the main body 162.

[0084] See Figure 5 , further, the first connection end 151 has an inner arc surface, and the inner arc surface covers and abuts against the movable shaft 16. Since the elastic member 17 is always in a compressed state and always has a compressive elastic deformation, under the action of the elastic restoring force of the elastic member 17, external force, the gravity of the door body 3, etc., the connecting member 15 and the elastic member 17 jointly abut against the movable shaft 16 to limit the movable shaft 16 from disengaging from the inner arc surface. Through the mating method that the inner arc surface of the first connection end 151 covers and abuts against the movable shaft 16, it can be ensured that the connecting member 15 is always rotationally mated with the movable shaft 16, simplifying the processing procedure and the assembly procedure of the connecting member 15 and the movable shaft 16, and saving material and labor costs.

[0085] See Figure 5 and Figure 14 , similarly, the end of the elastic member 17 connected to the movable shaft 16 can also be provided with an inner arc surface. Through the mating method that the inner arc surface covers and abuts against the movable shaft 16, the elastic restoring force of the elastic member 17 can ensure that the elastic member 17 is always rotationally mated with the movable shaft 16, simplifying the processing procedure and the assembly procedure, and saving material and labor costs.

[0086] Specifically, the inner arc surface is recessed in a direction away from the movable shaft 16, and the inner arc surface is coaxially arranged with the movable shaft 16.

[0087] Preferably, the central angle of the inner arc surface is 175 - 185°, which is convenient for the assembly of the inner arc surface and the movable shaft 16, simplifies the assembly process, saves material and labor costs, and can prevent the movable shaft 16 from slipping out of the inner arc surface, thus avoiding poor assembly.

[0088] In this embodiment, there is one elastic member 17; in other embodiments, the number of elastic members 17 can also be set differently according to actual needs. For example Figure 15 As shown, a pair of elastic members 17 are arranged at intervals. The pair of elastic members 17 are respectively arranged on the left and right sides of the connecting member 15. The pair of elastic members 17 can share the force, so that the size of the elastic member 17 can be made smaller. If the elastic member 17 includes a spring 172, the outer diameter and wire diameter of the spring 172 can be reduced, thereby further reducing the thickness of the hinge 1.

[0089] Refer to Figure 5 , further, in this embodiment, the elastic member 17 includes a support rod 171 connected to the movable shaft 16 and a spring 172 sleeved on the outer periphery of the support rod 171. One end of the support rod 171 away from the movable shaft 16 is inserted into the cabinet hinge seat 11 and is loosely connected to the cabinet hinge seat 11. That is to say, the support rod 171 can move up and down relative to the cabinet hinge seat 11. The support rod 171 is provided with a flange 1711. One end of the spring 172 abuts against the flange 1711, and the other end of the spring 172 abuts against the cabinet hinge seat 11.

[0090] Refer to Figure 5 , further, in this embodiment, the hinge 1 further includes a bushing 18 sleeved on the outer periphery of the movable shaft 16. The bushing 18 is arranged between the connecting member 15 and the long groove 113. On the one hand, it further restricts the left - right movement of the connecting member 15 relative to the movable shaft 16. On the other hand, lubricating oil can be added to the bushing 18, and the lubricating oil can slowly seep out from the bushing 18 to the part of the movable shaft 16 located in the long groove 113, so that the hinge 1 rotates smoothly.

[0091] Refer to Figure 5 , further, the cabinet hinge seat 11 includes an end stop 117. The end stop 117 has a slot. One end of the elastic member 17 away from the movable shaft 16 is inserted into the slot, thus limiting that the elastic member 17 can only move parallel to the bottom plate 111, that is, move up and down, and avoiding increasing the thickness of the hinge 1. In this embodiment, the lower end of the spring 172 abuts against the end stop 117, and the lower end of the support rod 171 of the elastic member 17 is inserted into the slot. The inner diameter of the slot is larger than the outer diameter of the support rod 171, that is, the support rod 171 is loosely connected to the end stop 117. When the elastic member 17 moves up and down synchronously with the movable shaft 16, the lower end of the support rod 171 always protrudes from the end stop 117, so as to prevent the elastic member 17 from slipping out of the end stop 117 and causing the elastic member 17 to fail.

[0092] Refer toFigure 5 , in one embodiment, the end stop 117 is a U-shaped plate member, and the cabinet hinge seat 11 further includes a pair of protruding portions 118 which are respectively provided on a pair of side plates 112 and protrude towards each other. The opening of the U-shaped plate member faces the pair of protruding portions 118, and both of the pair of protruding portions 118 are clamped in the opening of the U-shaped plate member. The combined action of the spring 172 and the protruding portions 118 restricts the movement of the U-shaped plate member relative to the side plate 112, especially restricts the up and down movement of the U-shaped plate member.

[0093] See Figure 4 and Figure 15 , in another embodiment, the end stop 117 is a baffle plate embedded in a pair of side plates 112, and the baffle plate is perpendicular to the side plates 112. The side plates 112 restrict the movement of the baffle plate relative to the side plates 112, especially restrict the up and down movement of the baffle plate.

[0094] Compared with the prior art, the hinge 1 and the refrigeration device having the same provided by the present invention have the beneficial effects that when the door hinge seat 12 rotates relative to the cabinet hinge seat 11 around the pivot axis 13, the swing axis 14 swings accordingly and pulls the connecting member 15 to drive the movable axis 16 to move together. Moreover, during the movement process, under the mutual restriction of each component, the swing axis 14, the movable axis 16 and the pivot axis 13 are always in a parallel state. And the door hinge seat 12, the pivot axis 13, the swing axis 14, the connecting member 15, the movable axis 16, the elastic member 17 and the cabinet hinge seat 11 together form a crank-slider mechanism, which converts the pivoting movement of the door hinge seat 12 into the linear movement of the movable axis 16 and the elastic member 17. Compared with the arc movement of the movable axis 16 and the elastic member 17, the movement space required for the elastic member 17 is greatly reduced, especially in the inner and outer directions. Therefore, the thickness of the hinge 1 can be made thinner; when an external force is applied to rotate the door body 3 to the open position, due to the existence of the first gap, under the action of its elastic restoring force, the elastic member 17 applies an upward thrust to the connecting member 15, which is transmitted to the swing axis 14 to form an upward and inward bias thrust of the connecting member 15 on the swing axis 14. The contact point between the swing axis 14 and the connecting member 15 is located at the outer side and lower side of the swing axis 14; the maximum angle of the outward rotation of the door hinge seat 12 relative to the cabinet hinge seat 11 can be limited by the limiting mechanism, and the door hinge seat 12 can be suspended at the maximum angle; in this way, when the external force is removed, since the elastic member 17 has the first compression deformation amount, under the action of its elastic restoring force, the elastic member 17 applies an upward thrust to the connecting member 15, which is transmitted to the swing axis 14 to form an upward and inward bias thrust of the connecting member 15 on the swing axis 14, so that the contact point between the swing axis 14 and the door hinge seat 12 is located at the inner side and upper side of the swing axis 14. Even under the action of the gravity of the door body 3, no displacement space for the swing axis 14 to move upward along the inner side relative to the door hinge seat 12 can be provided. Therefore, the problem of the door body 3 rebounding after the external force is removed is solved, and the door body 3 is suspended at the open position, that is, when the stopping portion 123 abuts against the first limiting portion 114, the door body 3 is located at the open position; the movable axis 16 includes a pair of fixing portions 161 arranged at intervals along its axial direction, and the elastic member 17 is clamped between the pair of fixing portions 161, which can limit the axial movement of the elastic member 17 along the movable axis 16 and is convenient for installation; when the door hinge seat 12 rotates inward relative to the cabinet hinge seat 11 from the closed position by a preset angle, the stopping portion 123 abuts against the second limiting portion 116, which avoids the door hinge seat 12 rotating back and forth relative to the cabinet hinge seat 11 and causing wear or even damage to it, reduces the required loading and transportation space, and at the same time this position is relatively close to the closed position of the door hinge seat 12. When the worker assembles, the door hinge seat 12 can be fixed without using hands or other tools to support it additionally, which greatly improves the assembly efficiency;At least one of the connecting member 15 and the elastic member 17 has an inner arc surface at the end connected to the movable shaft 16. The mating method in which the inner arc surface wraps around and abuts against the movable shaft 16 can ensure that the connecting member 15 is always rotationally mated with the movable shaft 16, simplifies the processing procedures and the assembly procedures of the connecting member 15 and the movable shaft 16, and saves material and labor costs.

[0095] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the words indicating the orientation or positional relationship such as "upper", "lower", "inner", "outer", "left", "right", etc. in the present invention are all referenced based on the directions defined in the text, and these words indicating the orientation or positional relationship are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation to the present invention.

[0096] It should be understood that although this specification is described according to the embodiments, not every embodiment only contains an independent technical solution. This narrative way of the specification is only for clarity. Those skilled in the art should regard the specification as a whole, and the technical solutions in each embodiment can also be appropriately combined to form other embodiments that can be understood by those skilled in the art.

[0097] The series of detailed descriptions listed above are only specific descriptions of the feasible embodiments of the present invention, and they are not used to limit the protection scope of the present invention. Any equivalent embodiments or changes made without departing from the technical spirit of the present invention should be included in the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A hinge, comprising a cabinet hinge seat assembled to a cabinet body and a door hinge seat assembled to a door body, the door hinge seat being rotatably connected to the cabinet hinge seat, the door hinge seat having an open door position for opening the door body, characterized in that, the hinge further comprises a limiting mechanism. When the door hinge seat is in the open door position, the limiting mechanism restricts the outward rotation of the door hinge seat relative to the cabinet hinge seat. The limiting mechanism is provided on at least one of the door hinge seat, the cabinet hinge seat, the door body and the cabinet body; the cabinet hinge seat is provided with a pair of long slots extending along its longitudinal direction. The hinge further comprises a connecting member, a movable shaft, a swing shaft and an elastic member. The movable shaft is fitted in the long slots. The connecting member rotatably connects the door hinge seat and the movable shaft and drives the movable shaft to move linearly along the extending direction of the long slots. The connecting member is pivotally connected to the door hinge seat through the swing shaft. One end of the elastic member is connected to the movable shaft and moves synchronously with the movable shaft. The other end of the elastic member abuts against the cabinet hinge seat. The long slots have an extreme proximal end close to the door hinge seat. When the door hinge seat is in the open door position, there is a gap between the movable shaft and the extreme proximal end, and the elastic member has a compressive deformation amount.

2. The hinge according to claim 1, characterized in that, the limiting mechanism comprises a stopping portion provided on the door hinge seat and a limiting portion provided on the cabinet hinge seat. When the door hinge seat is in the open door position, the stopping portion abuts against the limiting portion to restrict the outward rotation of the door hinge seat relative to the cabinet hinge seat.

3. The hinge according to claim 2, characterized in that, the door hinge seat comprises a base plate and a pair of opposite side edges. The pair of side edges are respectively connected to opposite ends of the base plate and extend in the same direction. The stopping portion is a flange provided at the end of the side edge away from the base plate, and the flange extends from the side edge where it is located away from the other side edge; when the door hinge seat is in the open door position, the flange abuts against the limiting portion to restrict the outward rotation of the door hinge seat relative to the cabinet hinge seat.

4. The hinge according to claim 3, characterized in that, the cabinet hinge seat comprises a bottom plate and a pair of side plates. The pair of side plates are respectively connected to opposite ends of the bottom plate and extend in the same direction. The pair of side edges are located between the pair of side plates, and the limiting portion is provided at the end of the side plate away from the bottom plate.

5. The hinge according to claim 4, characterized in that, one end of the side plate close to the door hinge seat has an arc surface, the limiting portion is connected to the arc surface and extends along the tangent direction away from the door hinge seat from the arc surface; the door hinge seat has a closed door position for closing the door body. When the door hinge seat is in the closed door position, the flange is separated from the arc surface.

6. The hinge according to claim 3, characterized in that, One end of the flanging near the limiting part is thicker in the inner and outer direction than the other end away from the limiting part in the inner and outer direction.

7. The hinge according to claim 3, characterized in that, One end of the flanging facing the limiting part is arc-shaped.

8. The hinge according to claim 7, characterized in that, One end of the flanging near the limiting part is first bent inward and then bent along the direction away from the limiting part.

9. The hinge according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cabinet hinge seat includes a bottom plate abutted against the cabinet, the door hinge seat further has a closed position for closing the door, and during the process of the door hinge seat rotating from the closed position to the open position, the connecting member and the bottom plate do not interfere with each other.

10. The hinge according to claim 9, characterized in that, The connecting member includes a first connecting end, a second connecting end and a main body connecting the first connecting end and the second connecting end. The first connecting end is rotatably connected to the movable shaft, the second connecting end is rotatably connected to the door hinge seat, and the main body is recessed in the direction away from the bottom plate.

11. The hinge according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cabinet hinge seat includes a bottom plate abutted against the cabinet, the hinge further includes a pivot shaft, the door hinge seat and the cabinet hinge seat are pivotally connected through the pivot shaft, the movable shaft is parallel to the pivot shaft and the plane formed by the axes of the two is parallel to the bottom plate.

12. The hinge according to claim 11, characterized in that, The door hinge seat further has a closed position for closing the door. When the door hinge seat is in the closed position, the axis of the swing shaft is located on the plane formed by the axes of the movable shaft and the pivot shaft.

13. The hinge according to claim 1, characterized in that, The door hinge seat includes a pair of opposite side edges, the cabinet hinge seat includes a pair of opposite side plates, the pair of side edges are located between the pair of side plates, and the swing shaft connects the pair of side edges and is located between the pair of side plates.

14. The hinge according to claim 13, characterized in that, The cabinet hinge seat further includes a bottom plate connecting the pair of side plates. The pair of side plates are located on the same side of the bottom plate. When the door hinge seat is in the open position, the axis of the swing shaft is located on the plane where the bottom plate is located, or the axis of the swing shaft is located on the side of the plane where the bottom plate is located away from the side plate.

15. A refrigeration device, including a cabinet and a door body assembled on the cabinet, characterized in that, It further includes the hinge according to any one of claims 1 to 14. The cabinet hinge seat is fixedly connected to the cabinet, and the door hinge seat is fixedly connected to the door body.

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