Air duct system structure and refrigerator

Abstract

The present invention provides an air duct system structure and a refrigerator, relating to the field of refrigerator technology. The invention solves the technical problem in the prior art that some existing air duct system structures occupy a large amount of the effective volume of the refrigerator compartment. The air duct system structure includes a heat exchange duct for an evaporator and a drive duct for a fan impeller. The heat exchange duct is arranged at the rear side of the refrigerator compartment, and the drive duct is arranged above or below the refrigerator compartment. The heat exchange duct and the drive duct are connected. The drive duct is provided with an air intake of the air duct system structure, and the heat exchange duct is provided with an air outlet of the air duct system structure. Since the fan impeller is arranged below the refrigerator compartment, the space occupied by the air duct at the rear side of the refrigerator compartment can be reduced, thereby effectively preventing the air duct system structure from occupying a large amount of the effective volume of the refrigerator compartment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of refrigerators, and in particular to an air duct system structure and a refrigerator provided with the air duct system structure. Background Art

[0002] Some existing refrigerator air duct system structures usually include a hood assembly covering the outside of the evaporator, isolating the evaporator in the evaporation chamber. The hood assembly is equipped with a fan (located on the rear side of the refrigerator compartment) and is formed with an air outlet duct, air intake, air outlet, etc., resulting in the existing air duct system structure occupying a large amount of the effective volume of the refrigerator compartment.

[0003] In addition, the air intake located at the top of the air duct assembly needs to be spaced a certain distance from the top of the evaporator to ensure sufficient airflow through the evaporator for heat exchange, so that the larger space above the evaporator cannot be effectively utilized.

[0004] In order to ensure the heat exchange area of the evaporator, the evaporator needs to have two more rows of tubes, so that the evaporation chamber also occupies a larger effective volume of the compartment.

[0005] In addition, the national standard also stipulates that during the temperature storage and freezing capacity tests, the temperature rise caused by defrosting shall not exceed 3K in the stable operation stage. Solving and improving the 3K temperature rise problem is also a hot topic in the industry. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The present invention aims to provide an air duct system structure and refrigerator that address the technical problem of some existing air duct system structures occupying a significant amount of the effective volume of the refrigerator compartment. The various technical effects achieved by the preferred technical solutions provided by the present invention are detailed below.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solutions:

[0008] The present invention provides an air duct system structure, comprising a heat exchange air duct in which an evaporator is provided and a drive air duct in which a fan impeller is provided, wherein the heat exchange air duct is provided on the rear side of a refrigerator compartment, and the drive air duct is provided above or below the refrigerator compartment, the heat exchange air duct is connected to the drive air duct, and an air intake of the air duct system structure is provided on the drive air duct, and an air outlet of the air duct system structure is provided on the heat exchange air duct.

[0009] Furthermore, the duct system structure forms one heat exchange duct; or, the duct system structure forms two or more independent heat exchange ducts, and the heat exchange ducts are arranged in sequence along the left and right lateral directions of the refrigerator, and each heat exchange duct is connected to its corresponding drive duct.

[0010] Furthermore, the heat exchange air duct is flat and the evaporator arranged in the heat exchange air duct is a single-layer coil heat exchanger along the front-to-back direction of the refrigerator.

[0011] Furthermore, the driving air duct includes a fan accommodating portion and an air duct connecting portion, the air duct connecting portion connects the fan accommodating portion and the heat exchange air duct, and the fan impeller is arranged in the fan accommodating portion.

[0012] Furthermore, the fan accommodating portion is flat and the fan impeller is a centrifugal fan impeller.

[0013] Furthermore, the fan impeller is eccentrically installed in the fan accommodating portion to reduce resistance during gas flow.

[0014] Furthermore, the air duct connecting portion is an arc-shaped structure, so as to achieve a smooth transition between the fan accommodating portion and the heat exchange air duct.

[0015] Furthermore, the air duct system structure includes a bottom air duct assembly and an air cover plate, the air cover plate and the refrigerator rear cover structure form the heat exchange air duct, the air outlet is arranged on the air cover plate, the bottom air duct assembly is arranged below the air cover plate, and the drive air duct is formed on the bottom air duct assembly.

[0016] Furthermore, the interior of the wind shield plate is filled with cold storage material.

[0017] Furthermore, the bottom air duct assembly includes an air duct seat and an air duct cover, the air duct cover is arranged above the fan impeller and connected to the air duct seat, the air suction port is arranged on the air duct cover, the bottom of the air cover plate is supported on the side of the air duct seat close to the rear of the refrigerator, and the air duct seat is provided with a drain port.

[0018] The present invention provides a refrigerator, comprising the above-mentioned air duct system structure. A compressor compartment is formed in the refrigerator, and the compressor in the compressor compartment is connected to the evaporator.

[0019] Furthermore, the press compartment and the storage compartment of the refrigerator are arranged below the air duct driven by the air duct system structure, and the press compartment is arranged on the rear side of the storage compartment.

[0020] Furthermore, the refrigerator also includes a semiconductor cooling and heating device, which is connected to the storage bin for cooling or heating the storage bin.

[0021] Furthermore, a water receiving tray is provided in the press chamber, and the water receiving tray is connected to the drain port on the air duct component at the bottom of the air duct system structure through a pipe, and the pipe has a U-shaped portion to prevent air leakage in the air duct in the refrigerator.

[0022] The present invention provides an air duct system structure, comprising a heat exchange air duct in which an evaporator is arranged and a drive air duct in which a fan impeller is arranged. The heat exchange air duct and the drive air duct are respectively arranged at the rear side and below the refrigerator compartment, and the heat exchange air duct is connected to the drive air duct. An air intake of the air duct system structure is provided on the drive air duct, and an air outlet of the air duct system structure is provided on the heat exchange air duct. Since the fan impeller is arranged below the refrigerator compartment, the size of the space occupied by the air duct at the rear side of the refrigerator compartment can be reduced, thereby effectively preventing the air duct system structure from occupying a large amount of the effective volume of the refrigerator compartment.

[0023] The preferred technical solution of the present invention can also produce at least the following technical effects:

[0024] The heat exchange duct is flat, and the evaporator disposed within the duct is a single-coil heat exchanger extending along the front-to-back direction of the refrigerator. Due to the structural features of the duct system of the present invention, the evaporator can be designed to be taller, and thus a single-coil structure can be considered. While ensuring heat exchange, the space in the heat exchange duct can be further reduced, thereby increasing the effective volume of the refrigerator compartment.

[0025] The bottom air duct assembly not only forms the driving air duct, but also forms the "fan housing" of the fan impeller. The fan impeller is eccentrically installed in the bottom air duct assembly. The eccentric placement is to gradually increase the distance between the fan impeller and the side wall of the fan housing along the direction of rotation, so as to reduce the obstruction of gas flow and facilitate the derivation of airflow.

[0026] In order to reduce the impact of defrosting on the temperature of the refrigerator compartment, it is preferred that the inside of the air cover plate is filled with cold storage material;

[0027] The refrigerator also includes a semiconductor cooling and heating device, which is connected to the storage bin for cooling or heating the storage bin. That is, by setting the semiconductor cooling and heating device, the storage bin can form a variable temperature chamber, which can realize cooling or heating of the storage bin according to the situation. The configuration of the variable temperature chamber makes more reasonable use of the space of the refrigerator. When the storage bin (variable temperature chamber) is heated, the compressor bin can be cooled. At this time, the condensing fan can stop running to further save energy; when the storage bin (variable temperature chamber) is cooled, the heat is dissipated to the compressor bin. At this time, the condensing fan is used to dissipate heat from the compressor bin. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0029] Figure 1is a schematic front view of a refrigerator provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a refrigerator provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 3 is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of a bottom air duct assembly provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 4 is a horizontal cross-sectional schematic diagram of a bottom air duct assembly provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 5 1 is a schematic structural diagram of an evaporator provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 6 It is a structural schematic diagram of the wind shield plate provided by an embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] In the figure, 1-heat exchange air duct; 2-drive air duct; 201-fan housing; 202-air duct connection part; 3-air inlet; 4-air outlet; 5-fan impeller; 6-bottom air duct assembly; 601-air duct seat; 602-air duct cover; 603-drain outlet; 7-wind hood plate; 8-rear cover structure; 9-storage compartment; 10-pressor compartment; 11-refrigerator left door; 12-refrigerator right door; 13-evaporator. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the present invention more apparent, the technical solutions of the present invention will be described in detail below. Obviously, the embodiments described are only some of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of them. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other implementations obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0037] Example 1:

[0038] The present invention provides an air duct system structure, comprising a heat exchange air duct 1 in which an evaporator 13 is provided and a drive air duct 2 in which a fan impeller 5 is provided, wherein Figure 2The heat exchange duct 1 and the drive duct 2 are respectively arranged at the rear and bottom of the refrigerator compartment, and the heat exchange duct 1 is connected to the drive duct 2. The drive duct 2 is provided with an air intake 3 of the duct system structure, and the heat exchange duct 1 is provided with an air outlet 4 of the duct system structure. When the fan impeller 5 is in operation, air from the refrigerator compartment can enter the drive duct 2 through the air intake 3. The drive duct 2 is connected to the heat exchange duct 1, and the airflow in the drive duct 2 flows to the heat exchange duct 1. After heat exchange in the evaporator 13 of the heat exchange duct 1, it flows into the refrigerator compartment through the air outlet 4, achieving cooling inside the refrigerator compartment. Since the fan impeller 5 is arranged below the refrigerator compartment, the space occupied by the air duct at the rear of the refrigerator compartment can be reduced, thereby effectively preventing the air duct system structure from occupying a large amount of the effective volume of the refrigerator compartment.

[0039] In addition, the driving air duct 2 can also be set above the refrigerator compartment, the heat exchange air duct 1 is connected to the driving air duct 2, and the air intake 3 of the air duct system structure is set on the driving air duct 2, and the air outlet 4 of the air duct system structure is set on the heat exchange air duct 1.

[0040] The air duct system structure provided by the present invention forms a heat exchange air duct 1. When applied to a refrigeration appliance, it forms a single-compartment refrigeration appliance; alternatively, the air duct system structure forms two or more independent heat exchange air ducts 1, which are arranged in sequence along the left and right lateral directions of the refrigerator, and each heat exchange air duct 1 is connected to its corresponding drive air duct 2. A specific example of "the air duct system structure forms two independent heat exchange air ducts 1" is as follows: See Figure 1 , for a refrigerator with double doors, the left door 11 of the refrigerator can correspond to the freezer compartment of the refrigerator, and the right door 12 of the refrigerator can correspond to the refrigerator compartment of the refrigerator. The rear sides of the refrigerator compartment and the freezer compartment respectively correspond to independent heat exchange ducts 1, so that the heat exchange ducts 1 are arranged in sequence along the left and right horizontal directions of the refrigerator. The lower parts of the refrigerator compartment and the freezer compartment respectively correspond to independent drive ducts 2. Figure 2 , indicating that the heat exchange air duct 1 is connected to the corresponding drive air duct 2.

[0041] As an optional embodiment, the heat exchange duct 1 is flat and the evaporator 13 arranged in the heat exchange duct 1 is a single-layer coil heat exchanger along the front-to-back direction of the refrigerator. Figure 2 and Figure 6 , illustrating a single-coil heat exchanger. Due to the structural features of the air duct system of the present invention, evaporator 13 can be designed taller, thus considering a single-coil structure. While ensuring heat exchange, the space of heat exchange duct 1 can be further reduced, thereby increasing the effective volume of the refrigerator compartment.

[0042] Regarding the driving air duct 2 , the specific description is as follows: the driving air duct 2 includes a fan accommodating portion 201 and an air duct connecting portion 202 , the air duct connecting portion 202 connects the fan accommodating portion 201 and the heat exchange air duct 1 , and the fan impeller 5 is arranged in the fan accommodating portion 201 .

[0043] The fan impeller 5 is a centrifugal fan impeller 5, and the fan housing 201 is preferably configured to be flat. Figure 2 and Figure 4 , schematically shows a flat fan housing 201, which is beneficial to increase the effective volume of the refrigerator compartment. As an optional embodiment, the fan impeller 5 is eccentrically installed in the fan housing 201 to reduce the gas flow resistance. Figure 5 , which illustrates the eccentric installation of the fan impeller 5. The eccentric placement is to gradually increase the distance between the fan impeller 5 and the side wall of the fan accommodating portion 201 along the rotation direction, so as to reduce the obstruction of gas flow and facilitate the derivation of airflow.

[0044] As an optional embodiment, the air duct connection portion 202 is an arc-shaped structure, see Figure 2 , schematically shows the air duct connecting portion 202. The shape characteristics of the air duct connecting portion 202 can achieve a smooth transition between the fan accommodating portion 201 and the heat exchange air duct 1, so as to reduce the resistance of the air flow when flowing in the refrigerator air duct.

[0045] The structure of the heat exchange duct 1 and the drive duct 2 is described in detail as follows: the duct system structure includes a bottom duct assembly 6 and a hood plate 7. The hood plate 7 and the refrigerator rear cover structure 8 form the heat exchange duct 1. The hood plate 7 is provided with an air outlet 4. The bottom duct assembly 6 is provided below the hood plate 7, and the drive duct 2 is formed inside the bottom duct assembly 6. Figure 2 , schematically shows the driving air duct 2 formed inside the bottom air duct assembly 6, and the air cover plate 7 and the refrigerator rear cover structure 8 form a heat exchange air duct 1. The air cover plate 7 can be made as thin as possible to reduce the occupation of the effective volume of the refrigerator compartment to a certain extent.

[0046] As an optional embodiment, to minimize the impact of defrosting on the refrigerator compartment temperature, the interior of the air shield 7 is preferably filled with a cold storage material. This cold storage material can reduce heat conduction between the heat exchange duct 1 and the refrigerator compartment, preventing excessive heat transfer from the heat exchange duct 1 into the refrigerator compartment. The cold storage material is not specifically limited, and any cold storage material currently available for refrigerators can be selected.

[0047] Regarding the bottom air duct assembly 6, the specific structure can be as follows: the bottom air duct assembly 6 includes an air duct seat 601 and an air duct cover 602. The air duct cover 602 is arranged above the fan impeller 5 and connected to the air duct seat 601. The air duct cover 602 is provided with an air inlet 3. The bottom of the air cover plate 7 is supported on the side of the air duct seat 601 close to the rear of the refrigerator. The air duct seat 601 is provided with a drain outlet 603. Figure 4 The air duct seat 601 is L-shaped and supported on the partition structure inside the refrigerator. The refrigerator's rear cover structure 8 has a mounting slot formed therein, which the air duct seat 601 is positioned within to limit its position. The bottom air duct assembly not only forms the drive air duct but also the "fan housing" for the fan impeller. The air duct cover 602 is provided with an air intake 3, with the center of the fan impeller 5 facing the air intake 3. When the fan impeller 5 rotates, it draws air from the air intake 3 and then discharges it in all directions.

[0048] Example 2:

[0049] A refrigerator includes the air duct system structure provided by the present invention. The air duct system structure includes a heat exchange duct 1 provided with an evaporator 13 and a drive duct 2 provided with a fan impeller 5. The heat exchange duct 1 and the drive duct 2 are respectively provided at the rear and bottom of the refrigerator compartment, and the heat exchange duct 1 is connected to the drive duct 2. The drive duct 2 is provided with an air intake 3 of the air duct system structure, and the heat exchange duct 1 is provided with an air outlet 4 of the air duct system structure. When the fan impeller 5 is in operation, air in the refrigerator compartment can enter the drive duct 2 through the air intake 3. The drive duct 2 is connected to the heat exchange duct 1. The airflow in the drive duct 2 flows to the heat exchange duct 1, exchanges heat with the evaporator 13 in the heat exchange duct 1, and then flows into the refrigerator compartment through the air outlet 4, thereby cooling the refrigerator compartment.

[0050] The refrigerator comprises a compressor compartment 10 and a storage compartment 9, which are arranged below the air duct 2 driven by the air duct system structure. The compressor compartment 10 is located behind the storage compartment 9. The compressor compartment 10 houses components such as a compressor, a condenser, and a condensing fan. The compressor is connected to an evaporator 13 in the heat exchange duct 1.

[0051] A water collecting pan is provided in the compressor chamber 10, which is connected to the drain port 603 on the air duct assembly 6 at the bottom of the air duct system structure through a pipe. The pipe has a U-shaped portion (using the principle of a communicating vessel) to prevent air leakage in the air duct of the refrigerator. Figure 2 , schematically shows that a pipe hole that matches the drain outlet 603 is set on the partition structure used to support the bottom air duct assembly 6, and the pipe is inserted into the pipe hole and connected to the drain outlet 603.

[0052] Example 3:

[0053] A refrigerator includes the air duct system structure provided by the present invention. The air duct system structure includes a heat exchange duct 1 provided with an evaporator 13 and a drive duct 2 provided with a fan impeller 5. The heat exchange duct 1 and the drive duct 2 are respectively provided at the rear and bottom of the refrigerator compartment, and the heat exchange duct 1 is connected to the drive duct 2. The drive duct 2 is provided with an air intake 3 of the air duct system structure, and the heat exchange duct 1 is provided with an air outlet 4 of the air duct system structure. When the fan impeller 5 is in operation, air in the refrigerator compartment can enter the drive duct 2 through the air intake 3. The drive duct 2 is connected to the heat exchange duct 1. The airflow in the drive duct 2 flows to the heat exchange duct 1, exchanges heat with the evaporator 13 in the heat exchange duct 1, and then flows into the refrigerator compartment through the air outlet 4, thereby cooling the refrigerator compartment.

[0054] See also Figure 2 The refrigerator comprises a compressor compartment 10 and a storage compartment 9. The compressor compartment 10 and the storage compartment 9 are arranged below the drive duct 2 of the air duct system structure, and the compressor compartment 10 is arranged at the rear side of the storage compartment 9. The compressor compartment 10 is provided with components such as a compressor, a condenser, and a condensing fan. The compressor is connected to the evaporator 13 in the heat exchange duct 1.

[0055] A water collecting pan is provided in the press chamber 10, which is connected to the drain port 603 on the air duct assembly 6 at the bottom of the air duct system structure through a pipe, and the pipe has a U-shaped portion (using the principle of a communicating vessel) to prevent air leakage in the air duct in the refrigerator.

[0056] As an optional embodiment, the refrigerator also includes a semiconductor cooling and heating device connected to storage compartment 9 for cooling or heating storage compartment 9. Specifically, by installing the semiconductor cooling and heating device, storage compartment 9 can be formed into a variable temperature chamber, which can be cooled or heated according to the situation. The configuration of the variable temperature chamber more effectively utilizes the refrigerator space. When storage compartment 9 (variable temperature chamber) is heating, the compressor compartment 10 can be cooled, and the condensing fan can be stopped, further saving energy. When storage compartment 9 (variable temperature chamber) is cooling, heat is dissipated to the compressor compartment 10, and the condensing fan is used to dissipate heat from the compressor compartment.

[0057] Regarding semiconductor cooling and heating devices, currently, there are applications in the existing technology that use semiconductor cooling and heating devices to cool or heat the chamber. Therefore, there is no need to make too many restrictions on semiconductor cooling and heating devices, and the existing semiconductor cooling and heating technology can be used to cool or heat the storage bin 9.

[0058] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any modifications or substitutions that can be easily conceived by a person skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in the present invention should be included in the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be based on the scope of protection of the claims.

Claims

1. A duct system structure, characterized in that: It comprises a heat exchange air duct (1) in which an evaporator (13) is provided and a drive air duct (2) in which a fan impeller (5) is provided, wherein: The heat exchange air duct (1) is arranged at the rear side of the refrigerator compartment, the drive air duct (2) is arranged above or below the refrigerator compartment, the heat exchange air duct (1) is connected to the drive air duct (2), an air intake (3) of the air duct system structure is arranged on the drive air duct (2), and an air outlet (4) of the air duct system structure is arranged on the heat exchange air duct (1); The heat exchange air duct (1) is flat and the evaporator arranged in the heat exchange air duct (1) is a single-layer coil heat exchanger along the front-to-back direction of the refrigerator; The driving air duct (2) comprises a fan accommodating portion (201) and an air duct connecting portion (202), wherein the air duct connecting portion (202) is connected to the fan accommodating portion (201) and the heat exchange air duct (1), and the fan impeller (5) is arranged in the fan accommodating portion (201); The fan accommodating portion (201) is flat and the fan impeller (5) is a centrifugal fan impeller (5); The air duct system structure comprises a bottom air duct assembly (6) and an air shroud plate (7); the air shroud plate (7) and the refrigerator rear cover structure (8) form the heat exchange air duct (1); the air outlet (4) is arranged on the air shroud plate (7); the bottom air duct assembly (6) is arranged below the air shroud plate (7); and the driving air duct (2) is formed on the bottom air duct assembly (6); The bottom air duct assembly (6) comprises an air duct seat (601) and an air duct cover (602), wherein the air duct cover (602) is arranged above the fan impeller (5) and connected to the air duct seat (601), the air inlet (3) is arranged on the air duct cover (602), the bottom of the air cover plate (7) is supported on a side of the air duct seat (601) close to the rear of the refrigerator, and the air duct seat (601) is provided with a drain outlet (603).

2. The air duct system structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The air duct system structure forms one heat exchange air duct (1); or, the air duct system structure forms two or more independent heat exchange air ducts (1), the heat exchange air ducts (1) are arranged in sequence along the left and right transverse directions of the refrigerator, and each heat exchange air duct (1) is connected to the corresponding drive air duct (2).

3. The air duct system structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The fan impeller (5) is eccentrically mounted in the fan accommodating portion (201) to reduce resistance during gas flow.

4. The air duct system structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The air duct connecting portion (202) is an arc-shaped structure, so as to achieve a smooth transition between the fan accommodating portion (201) and the heat exchange air duct (1).

5. The air duct system structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The interior of the wind shield plate (7) is filled with cold storage material.

6. A refrigerator, characterized in that: The refrigerator comprises the air duct system structure according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein a compressor compartment (10) is formed in the refrigerator, and the compressor in the compressor compartment (10) is connected to the evaporator (13).

7. The refrigerator according to claim 6, characterized in that The press chamber (10) and the storage chamber (9) of the refrigerator are arranged below the air duct system structure driving air duct (2), and the press chamber (10) is arranged on the rear side of the storage chamber (9).

8. The refrigerator according to claim 7, characterized in that The refrigerator further comprises a semiconductor cooling and heating device, which is connected to the storage bin (9) and is used for cooling or heating the storage bin (9).

9. The refrigerator according to claim 6, wherein: A water receiving tray is provided in the press chamber (10), and the water receiving tray is connected to a drain port (603) on the air duct assembly (6) at the bottom of the air duct system structure via a pipe, and the pipe has a U-shaped portion to prevent air leakage in the air duct in the refrigerator.

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