refrigerator

Abstract

The present invention provides a refrigerator comprising a housing with an open front side to define a first compartment; a main door mounted on the housing for opening and closing the first compartment, the main door defining a second compartment with an open front side; and a secondary door mounted on the main door for opening and closing the second compartment, the secondary door including a state-adjustable door panel configured to controllably change transparency to adjust visibility of the interior structure of the second compartment. The refrigerator of the present invention effectively reduces the frequency of opening the secondary door and enhances the product's technological appeal and user experience.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of refrigeration and freezing, and in particular to a refrigerator. Background Art

[0002] With the advancement of technology and the improvement of people's living standards, users have higher and higher requirements for refrigerators. Traditional refrigerators with only refrigerator compartment, freezer compartment and temperature-changing room can no longer meet users' diverse needs for storage space.

[0003] In recent years, composite door technology has emerged in the refrigerator industry. As we all know, traditional refrigerator doors are used to open and close the refrigerator's refrigeration compartment, with bottle holders typically located on the lining of the refrigerator door for bottled items. Refrigerators with composite doors, however, improve on both door structure and functionality, now comprising a main door and a secondary door. The main door opens and closes the refrigeration compartment. Furthermore, the main door defines a door compartment with an open front, while the secondary door opens and closes the door compartment. While the main door rotates, the secondary door remains closed. The door compartment can be used to store items, and access requires only the secondary door, not the main door.

[0004] The composite door structure of the refrigerator facilitates the classification and storage of stored items and the user's door opening and closing operations. However, there are still some problems in the actual product. For example, the secondary door is opened too frequently, resulting in a large loss of cooling capacity in the door compartment, and the inner wall of the door compartment is prone to condensation. These problems hinder the further development of composite door technology. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The object of the present invention is to solve at least one of the above-mentioned defects in the prior art and to provide a refrigerator that can effectively reduce the opening frequency of the sub-door.

[0006] Another purpose of the present invention is to enhance the technological sense and user experience of the product.

[0007] Another object of the present invention is to reduce condensation on the inner wall of the second compartment of the refrigerator

[0008] In particular, the present invention provides a sub-door for a refrigerator, comprising:

[0009] a housing having a front side open to define a first chamber;

[0010] a main door mounted on the box body for opening and closing the first chamber, the main door defining a second chamber with an open front side; and

[0011] The auxiliary door is installed on the main door for opening and closing the second compartment. The auxiliary door includes a state-adjustable door panel. The state-adjustable door panel is configured to controllably change transparency so that the visibility of the internal structure of the second compartment can be adjusted.

[0012] Optionally, the state-adjustable door panel is configured to be in a transparent state when there is a human body within a preset distance in front of the auxiliary door; and to be in a non-transparent state when there is no human body within the preset distance in front of the auxiliary door.

[0013] Optionally, the second compartment is divided into multiple storage areas; the state-adjustable door panel includes multiple adjustment partitions with independently adjustable transparency, which are respectively opposite to the multiple storage areas; the state-adjustable door panel is configured to switch each adjustment partition from a non-transparent state to a transparent state when the adjustment partition is pressed, so that the corresponding storage area is visible.

[0014] Optionally, the state-adjustable door panel includes a first glass layer, a second glass layer and a liquid crystal layer located therebetween, and the liquid crystal layer is configured to be in a transparent state when in a power-on state and in a non-transparent state when in a power-off state.

[0015] Optionally, an air supply port and an air return port are provided on the rear wall of the main door, both of which are connected to the first chamber and the second chamber; the rear wall is hollow, and a dew removal air duct connected to the first chamber is defined therein, and a plurality of dew removal holes are provided on the front surface of the rear wall, which are connected to the second chamber and the dew removal air duct; the refrigerator is configured to be in a cooling cycle mode in which air from the first chamber enters the second chamber through the air supply port and then returns to the first chamber through the return port; or in a dew removal mode in which air from the first chamber enters the dew removal air duct, so that part of the air flows through the dew removal holes to the front surface of the rear wall to remove condensation on the surface.

[0016] Optionally, the dew removal air duct has an inlet and an outlet connected to the first chamber; and the refrigerator is configured so that when it is in the cooling cycle mode, the inlet and the outlet are respectively in a closed state and an open state; when it is in the dew removal mode, the inlet and the outlet are both in an open state.

[0017] Optionally, the inlet penetrates the side wall of the air supply port to connect with the air supply port, and the outlet penetrates the side wall of the return air port to connect with the return air port.

[0018] Optionally, the refrigerator further comprises an air door installed at the air outlet and configured to be controllably movable to a cooling state in which the inlet is closed and the air outlet is opened, or to a dew removal state in which the inlet is opened and the air outlet is closed.

[0019] Optionally, one end of the damper is rotatably mounted at the front edge of the inlet so as to be rotated to a cooling state or a dew removal state.

[0020] Optionally, the arrangement density of the dew removal holes gradually decreases in the direction from the air supply port to the air return port.

[0021] In the refrigerator of the present invention, the secondary door includes a state-adjustable door panel with adjustable transparency, thereby providing adjustable visibility of the interior structure of the second compartment. This allows the user to adjust the state-adjustable door panel to a transparent state when they need to see the storage status of the second compartment. Once the user has observed the storage status of the second compartment, they can avoid opening the secondary door unless necessary. This prevents cold air from leaking out of the secondary door and prevents outside air from entering the second compartment, causing temperature and humidity fluctuations and increasing the risk of condensation on the inner walls of the second compartment. Furthermore, the adjustable transparency of the secondary door gives the refrigerator a more technologically advanced feel, enhancing both the product quality and user experience.

[0022] Furthermore, when no one is within a preset distance from the secondary door, the refrigerator of the present invention renders the adjustable door panel opaque, obscuring the internal structure of the second compartment and preventing it from affecting the refrigerator's appearance. However, when a person is within a preset distance from the secondary door, the refrigerator infers that the user may open the door and switches the adjustable door panel to a transparent state, making the internal structure of the second compartment visible and displaying the storage status to the user, thus avoiding unnecessary door opening. Thus, the refrigerator of the present invention not only allows the storage status of the second compartment to be viewed without opening the secondary door, but also prevents the refrigerator's appearance from being adversely affected.

[0023] Furthermore, the refrigerator of the present invention further refines the structure of the state-adjustable door panel, making it include multiple adjustable sections with independently adjustable transparency. These sections are positioned opposite the multiple storage areas of the second compartment. When each adjustable section is pressed, it switches from an opaque state to a transparent state, making the corresponding storage area visible. This allows the transparency of the state-adjustable door panel to be manually switched by the user, and multiple adjustable sections are divided for the user to select, improving the user experience.

[0024] Furthermore, the present invention, through a special design of the main door, can effectively remove condensation from the inner wall of the second compartment. Specifically, the present invention specifically makes the rear wall of the main door hollow, defining a defrost duct, and provides a plurality of dew-removing holes on the front surface of the rear wall facing rearward. When the second space requires normal cooling, the refrigerator operates in a cooling cycle mode, allowing air from the first compartment to normally enter the second compartment through the air supply port to cool the second compartment. When condensation forms on the rear wall of the second compartment (i.e., the front surface of the rear wall of the main door) and requires dew removal, the refrigerator operates in a dew-removing mode, allowing air from the first compartment to enter the dew-removing duct within the rear wall of the main door, allowing part of the air to flow through the dew-removing holes to the front surface of the rear wall. The relative humidity of the air in the dew-removing duct is necessarily lower than the original airflow at the front surface of the rear wall of the main door (the relative humidity of the air near the condensation area is necessarily higher), so the low-humidity air introduced into the dew-removing duct can promote the evaporation of condensation.

[0025] Moreover, when the refrigerator of the present invention is operating in dehumidification mode, it does not adopt traditional methods such as electrically heating the rear wall or introducing hot air, but instead uses the cold air from the first chamber to remove dehumidification. The dehumidification process basically does not affect the normal refrigeration of the second chamber, and the structural design is very ingenious.

[0026] Based on the following detailed description of specific embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, those skilled in the art will become more aware of the above and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] Hereinafter, some specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail in an exemplary and non-limiting manner with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numerals in the accompanying drawings indicate the same or similar components or parts. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that these drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. In the accompanying drawings:

[0028] Figure 1 1 is a schematic diagram of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 2 This is a schematic structural diagram of a secondary door according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a state-adjustable door panel according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 4 is a schematic structural diagram of a secondary door according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of a refrigerator in a cooling cycle mode according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 6 yes Figure 5 A magnified view of point A;

[0034] Figure 7 yes Figure 5 The schematic diagram of the refrigerator in the dew removal mode is shown;

[0035] Figure 8 yes Figure 7 Enlarged view of point B. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] Refer to the following Figures 1 to 8The refrigerator of the embodiment of the present invention is described below. The directions or positional relationships indicated by terms such as "front," "rear," "upper," "lower," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," and "lateral" are based on the directions or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings and are intended solely to facilitate and simplify the description of the present invention. They do not indicate or imply that the devices or components referred to must have, be constructed, or operate in a specific direction. Therefore, they should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0037] Figure 1 1 is a schematic diagram of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic structural diagram of a secondary door according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a state-adjustable door panel according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 is a schematic structural diagram of a secondary door according to another embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 FIG2 is a schematic diagram of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention in a cooling cycle mode.

[0038] like Figures 1 to 5 As shown, a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention may generally include a housing 100, a main door 200, and a sub-door 300. The front of the housing 100 is open to define a first compartment 101. The main door 200 is mounted on the housing 100 for opening and closing the first compartment 101. The main door 200 defines a second compartment 201 with an open front. The sub-door 300 is mounted on the main door 200 for opening and closing the second compartment 201.

[0039] The inventors have found that it is difficult for users to have a clear memory of the specific storage location of stored items in the refrigerator. As a result, users often open each door one by one when they want to take out certain stored items. The refrigerator with a composite door structure is equipped with an additional secondary door 300 in addition to the main door 200, which makes the refrigerator have more storage locations and more doors, further increasing the total number of door openings, causing various problems such as serious cooling loss. In the embodiment of the present invention, if Figure 2 As shown, the secondary door 300 includes a state-adjustable door panel 310. The state-adjustable door panel 310 can be mounted on a door frame 320, which is then mounted on the main door 200. The state-adjustable door panel 310 is configured to controllably change its transparency, allowing for adjustable visibility of the internal structure of the second compartment 201. This allows the user to visualize the contents of the second compartment 201 by turning the state-adjustable door panel 310 transparent. Once the user has a clear view of the contents of the second compartment 201, they can avoid opening the secondary door 300 unless necessary. This prevents cooling leakage caused by opening the secondary door 300 and avoids the risk of condensation on the inner walls of the second compartment 201 caused by outside air entering the second compartment 201, which could lead to temperature and humidity fluctuations. Furthermore, the adjustable transparency of the secondary door 300 lends the refrigerator a high-tech feel, enhancing both the quality of the product and the user experience.

[0040] In some embodiments, the transparency adjustment of the state-adjustable door panel 310 includes adjusting it to a transparent state or a non-transparent state. Figure 3 As shown, the state-adjustable door panel 310 comprises a first glass layer 301, a second glass layer 302, and a liquid crystal layer 303 located between them. The liquid crystal layer 303 is configured to be transparent when powered on and opaque when powered off. The liquid crystal layer 303 comprises polymer-dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC), also known as polymer-dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC). This consists of micron-sized droplets of liquid crystal dispersed within an organic solid polymer matrix. Because the optical axes of the liquid crystal droplets are freely oriented, their refractive index does not match that of the matrix. When light passes through the matrix, it is strongly scattered by the droplets, resulting in an opaque, milky white or translucent state. Applying an electric field adjusts the optical axis orientation of the liquid crystal droplets. When the refractive indices match, the liquid crystal layer 303 appears transparent. Removing the electric field causes the liquid crystal droplets to return to their initial light-scattering state, rendering the liquid crystal layer 303 opaque.

[0041] In some alternative embodiments, the transparency of the state-adjustable door panel 310 can be adjusted to a transparent state, a non-transparent state, and a semi-transparent state.

[0042] In some embodiments, the state-adjustable door panel 310 is configured to be transparent when a human body is present within a preset distance in front of the secondary door 300. It is configured to be non-transparent when a human body is not present within the preset distance in front of the secondary door 300. Specifically, the refrigerator may include a controller and an infrared sensor, wherein the infrared sensor senses human body movement, and the controller receives a sensing signal from the infrared sensor to control the state of the state-adjustable door panel 310.

[0043] When the refrigerator is in normal operation (that is, when no one is within a preset distance in front of the secondary door 300), the internal structure of the second compartment 201 is hidden from view to prevent it from affecting the refrigerator's appearance. However, when a person is within a preset distance in front of the secondary door 300, the refrigerator infers that the user may open the door and switches the adjustable door panel 310 to a transparent state, making the internal structure of the second compartment 201 visible and displaying the storage status to the user, thus avoiding unnecessary door opening. According to typical operating habits, the user is more likely to open the door when they are within 1 meter or less of the refrigerator. Therefore, the preset distance can be set to a value less than 1 meter. Thus, the refrigerator of the present invention not only allows the storage status of the second compartment 201 to be viewed without opening the secondary door 300, but also prevents the refrigerator's appearance from being adversely affected.

[0044] In other embodiments, Figure 4As shown, the second compartment 201 can be divided into multiple storage areas, for example, multiple layers of shelves are provided, and the space above each shelf constitutes a storage area. The state-adjustable door panel 310 includes multiple adjustment partitions 311, 312, and 313 whose transparency can be adjusted independently. The multiple adjustment partitions 311, 312, and 313 are respectively opposite to the multiple storage areas. The state-adjustable door panel is configured to switch each adjustment partition from a non-transparent state to a transparent state when it is pressed, so that the corresponding storage area is visible. In this way, the user can selectively observe the storage situation of part of the storage area of ​​the second compartment. Moreover, the transparency switching of the state-adjustable door panel 310 is operated by the user, which improves the user's operating experience.

[0045] In some embodiments, the main door 200 can be rotatably mounted on the front side of the box body 100. The front side of the main door 200 is open to define the aforementioned second compartment 201. The secondary door 300 can be rotatably mounted on the main door 200 in front of the main door 200. When the main door 200 is open, the user can store or retrieve items from the first compartment 101. When the main door 200 is closed and the secondary door 300 is open, the user can store or retrieve items from the second compartment 201.

[0046] The refrigerator can be cooled by a vapor compression refrigeration cycle system, a semiconductor refrigeration system or other means. Depending on the refrigeration temperature, the compartments inside the refrigerator can be divided into a refrigerator, a freezer and a variable temperature chamber. For example, the temperature in the refrigerator is generally controlled between 2°C and 10°C, preferably between 4°C and 7°C. The temperature range in the freezer is generally controlled between -22°C and -14°C. The variable temperature chamber can be adjusted between -18°C and 8°C to achieve a variable temperature effect. The optimal storage temperature for different types of items is not the same, and the storage compartments suitable for storage are also different. For example, fruits and vegetables are suitable for storage in the refrigerator, while meat is suitable for storage in the freezer. The first compartment 101 of the embodiment of the present invention is preferably a refrigerator.

[0047] In existing composite door refrigerators, condensation on the inner walls of the compartments defined by the door bodies is a serious problem. The inventors have recognized that because the rear wall 211 of the main door 200 is adjacent to the first compartment 101 and can transfer heat to the air in the first compartment 101 through heat conduction, the temperature of the front surface of the rear wall 211 is lower than that of the other walls of the second compartment 201, making condensation more likely to form.

[0048] Based on the above understanding, the embodiment of the present invention specifically designs the main door 200 to remove the exposure of the front surface of the rear wall 211 of the second chamber 201.

[0049] Figure 6 yes Figure 5 A magnified view of point A; Figure 7 yes Figure 5The schematic diagram of the refrigerator in the dew removal mode is shown; Figure 8 yes Figure 7 Enlarged view of point B.

[0050] like Figures 5 to 8 As shown, the rear wall 211 of the main door 200 is provided with an air supply port 212 and an air return port 214, both of which are connected to the first chamber 101 and the second chamber 201. In addition, the rear wall 211 of the main door 200 is hollow, and defines a dew removal air duct 215 connected to the first chamber 101 therein. That is, the hollow space of the rear wall 211 constitutes the dew removal air duct 215. A plurality of dew removal holes 2154 are provided on the front surface of the rear wall 211, which are connected to the second chamber 201 and the dew removal air duct 215. The refrigerator is configured to be in a cooling cycle mode in which the air from the first chamber 101 enters the second chamber 201 through the air supply port 212 and then returns to the first chamber 101 through the air return port 214, so that the cold air from the first chamber 101 is used to cool the second chamber 201, as shown in FIG. Figure 5 and Figure 6 Alternatively, the refrigerator is in a dehumidification mode in which the air in the first compartment 101 enters the dehumidification air duct 215 so that part of the air flows through the dehumidification holes 2154 to the front surface of the rear wall 211 to remove condensation on the surface. Figure 7 and Figure 8 .

[0051] In this embodiment of the present invention, the refrigerator is normally in the aforementioned cooling cycle mode. However, if condensation forms on the front surface of the rear wall 211 of the main door 200 due to the introduction of humid air or the placement of high-humidity items, the refrigerator can be controlled to operate in the aforementioned de-condensation mode, allowing air from the first chamber 101 to enter the de-condensation duct 215 within the rear wall 211 of the main door 200, with some air flowing through the de-condensation holes 2154 to the front surface of the rear wall 211. Since the relative humidity of the air in the de-condensation duct 215 is necessarily lower than the relative humidity of the original airflow at the front surface of the rear wall 211 of the main door 200 (the relative humidity of the air near the condensation area is necessarily higher), the low-humidity air introduced into the de-condensation duct 215 can promote the evaporation of condensation, completing the de-condensation process. Once de-condensation is complete, the refrigerator can be controlled to switch to the cooling cycle mode.

[0052] The switching timing between cooling cycle mode and dehumidification mode can be automatically controlled by the refrigerator, for example, by a timer or automatically switching the refrigerator operating mode based on the detection results of the humidity sensor. It can also be manually controlled, for example, the user can manually switch the refrigerator operating mode when dehumidification is required or when it is necessary to stop dehumidification.

[0053] When the refrigerator of the embodiment of the present invention is in dew removal mode, the refrigerator does not adopt traditional methods such as electrically heating the rear wall 211 or introducing hot air. Instead, the refrigerator still uses the cold air from the first chamber 101 to remove dew. The dew removal process basically does not affect the normal cooling of the second chamber 201. The structural design is very ingenious.

[0054] In some embodiments, as Figure 5 and Figure 7 As shown, the dew removal duct 215 can have an inlet 2151 and an outlet 2152 connected to the first chamber 101, thereby creating an air circulation path between the dew removal duct 215 and the first chamber 101. This prevents the airflow used for dew removal from accumulating in the dew removal duct 215 and near the dew removal holes 2154, thereby preventing it from being unable to circulate and thus affecting the dew removal effect. Furthermore, the refrigerator is configured such that when in cooling cycle mode, the inlet 2151 and outlet 2152 are respectively closed and open; when in dew removal mode, both the inlet 2151 and outlet 2152 are open. In other words, in cooling cycle mode, only the inlet 2151 of the dew removal duct 215 needs to be closed. When in dew removal mode, the inlet 2151 of the dew removal duct 215 is opened. Since the opening and closing of the dew removal air duct 215 are controlled by controlling the opening and closing of the inlet 2151 and outlet 2152 of the dew removal air duct 215, there is no need to control the outlet 2152 of the dew removal air duct 215. In both modes, the outlet 2152 of the dew removal air duct 215 is in a normally open state and does not need to be controlled, thereby simplifying the refrigerator structure and control.

[0055] In some embodiments, as Figure 5 and Figure 7 As shown, the inlet 2151 of the dew removal duct 215 can be made to penetrate the side wall of the air supply port 212 to connect to the air supply port 212. That is, the dew removal duct 215 communicates with the first chamber 101 via the air supply port 212, eliminating the need for a separate opening in the rear wall 211. Alternatively, the outlet 2152 of the dew removal duct 215 can be made to penetrate the side wall of the return air port 214 to connect to the return air port 214. That is, the dew removal duct 215 communicates with the first chamber 101 via the return air port 214, eliminating the need for a separate opening in the rear wall 211. This design is very ingenious, simplifying the opening structure of the rear wall 211 of the main door 200, allowing the rear surface of the rear wall 211 of the main door 200 to simply have the air supply port 212 and the return air port 214 directly opened.

[0056] In some embodiments, as Figure 5 and Figure 7As shown, the air supply vent 212 and return air vent 214 are located at the top and bottom of the rear wall 211, respectively. When the refrigerator is in cooling cycle mode, cold air flows from the air supply vent 212 into the second compartment 201. Due to its relatively high density, it has a sinking effect and flows downward, sequentially cooling each height area of ​​the second compartment 201. After the air temperature gradually rises, it flows back to the first compartment 101 through the return air vent 214 at the bottom of the second compartment 201. This creates a smoother air circulation path and improves the cooling effect of the second compartment 201. When the refrigerator is in dew removal mode, cold air enters the dew removal duct 215 from the top, which is also more conducive to downward flow, making the dew removal duct 215 more fluid and facilitating the dew removal process.

[0057] like Figure 6 and Figure 8 As shown, the refrigerator may further include an air door 216, which is installed at the air outlet 212 and is configured to be controllably movable to a cooling state in which the inlet 2151 is closed and the air outlet 212 is opened (eg, Figure 6 ), or move to the dew removal state with the inlet 2151 opened and the air outlet 212 closed (such as Figure 8 This embodiment effectively utilizes the advantage of the inlet 2151 being connected to the air outlet 212, and uses a damper 216 to simultaneously control the air outlet 212 and the inlet 2151, thereby simplifying the air inlet and outlet control, and the design is very clever.

[0058] Specifically, if Figure 6 and Figure 8 As shown, one end of the damper 216 can be rotatably mounted on the front edge of the inlet 2151 so as to be rotated to the cooling state (such as Figure 6 ) or dew-free state (such as Figure 8 In the embodiment of the present invention, there is no need to set up a complex motion mechanism and control logic. Only by controlling the rotation of the damper 216, the switching of the refrigerator operation mode can be completed, and the structure and control are greatly simplified.

[0059] In some embodiments, as Figures 5 to 8 As shown, the refrigerator further includes a fan 230 located at the air outlet 212 to force air from the first compartment 101 to flow toward the air outlet 212, thereby accelerating the cooling cycle. Of course, in the embodiment where the inlet 2151 is connected to the air outlet 212, the fan 230 is also used to force air from the first compartment 101 to flow toward the dew removal duct 215.

[0060] The inventors have recognized that the closer to the air supply 212, the more condensation is produced on the rear wall 211 of the main door 200, while the closer to the return air vent 214, the less condensation is produced. To this end, the embodiment of the present invention specifically designs the arrangement density of the dew removal holes 2154. The arrangement density of the dew removal holes 2154 gradually decreases from the air supply vent 212 to the return air vent 214 to match the changing trend of condensation levels at different locations on the rear wall 211 of the main door 200, thereby reducing excessive and meaningless openings. The opening area of ​​the rear wall 211 of the main door 200 can be distributed throughout the entire front surface of the rear wall 211 to achieve sufficient dew removal, or it can be distributed throughout a portion of the front surface of the rear wall 211. The opening ratio of the dew removal holes 2154 can be 30% to 80%. The dew removal holes 2154 can be arranged in a matrix or other arrangement. The dew removal holes 2154 can be circular, oval, square, or other shapes. Preferably, the dew removal hole 2154 is a long strip-shaped hole whose length direction is parallel to the air flow direction of the dew removal air duct 215. This structure is conducive to destroying the integrity of dew drops and accelerating the dispersion and evaporation of dew drops.

[0061] At this point, those skilled in the art will recognize that, although a number of exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described in detail herein, many other variations or modifications consistent with the principles of the present invention may be directly determined or derived from the disclosure of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of the present invention should be understood and deemed to cover all such other variations or modifications.

Claims

1. A refrigerator, characterized in that include: a housing having a front side open to define a first chamber; a main door mounted on the box body for opening and closing the first chamber, the main door defining a second chamber with an open front side; the second chamber being divided into a plurality of storage areas; and a secondary door mounted on the main door for opening and closing the second chamber, the secondary door comprising a state-adjustable door panel configured to controllably change transparency so as to adjust the visibility of the internal structure of the second chamber; The rear wall of the main door is provided with an air supply port and an air return port, both of which are connected to the first chamber and the second chamber; the rear wall is hollow, and defines a dew removal air duct connected to the first chamber therein; a plurality of dew removal holes are formed on the front surface of the rear wall, which are connected to the second chamber and the dew removal air duct; the refrigerator is configured as follows: The air from the first compartment may be in a cooling cycle mode in which the air from the first compartment enters the second compartment through the air supply port and then returns to the first compartment through the air return port; or The air in the first compartment is in a de-dew mode in which the air enters the de-dew air duct so that part of the air flows through the de-dew holes to the front surface of the rear wall to remove condensation on the surface.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein: The state-adjustable door panel is configured to be in a transparent state when a human body is present within a preset distance in front of the auxiliary door; and to be in a non-transparent state when no human body is present within the preset distance in front of the auxiliary door.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein: The state-adjustable door panel includes a plurality of adjustable partitions with independently adjustable transparency, which are respectively opposite to the plurality of storage areas; The state-adjustable door panel is configured to switch each adjustment partition from a non-transparent state to a transparent state when the adjustment partition is pressed, so that the corresponding storage area is visible.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein The state-adjustable door panel includes a first glass layer, a second glass layer and a liquid crystal layer located therebetween. The liquid crystal layer is configured to be in a transparent state when in a power-on state and in a non-transparent state when in a power-off state.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein The dew removal air duct has an inlet and an outlet communicating with the first chamber; and The refrigerator is configured such that when in the cooling cycle mode, the inlet and the outlet are respectively in a closed state and an open state; and when in the dew removal mode, the inlet and the outlet are both in an open state.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 5, characterized in that The inlet penetrates the side wall of the air supply port to communicate with the air supply port, and the outlet penetrates the side wall of the air return port to communicate with the air return port.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 6, characterized in that Also includes: The damper is installed at the air outlet and is configured to be controllably movable to a cooling state in which the inlet is closed and the air outlet is opened, or to a dew removal state in which the inlet is opened and the air outlet is closed.

8. The refrigerator according to claim 7, characterized in that One end of the damper is rotatably mounted on the front edge of the inlet so as to be rotated to the cooling state or the dew removal state.

9. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein In the direction from the air supply port to the air return port, the arrangement density of the dew removal holes gradually decreases.

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