Refrigerator

Abstract

The present invention discloses a refrigerator comprising a refrigerator body and a door, wherein the door has a door seal. The refrigerator also comprises a door opening mechanism mounted on the door and disposed at the door seal position. The refrigerator provided by the present invention effectively solves the problem of complex automatic door opening and closing structures in the prior art refrigerators.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] Modern refrigerators are emerging one after another, and automatic door opening technology, among them, not only enhances the refrigerator's quality and user experience but also offers practical applications. For example, when a user is carrying large food and has difficulty opening the door, the system can proactively open the refrigerator door for them. This also alleviates the difficulty faced by elderly and children with limited arm strength. If a user forgets to close the door after taking food or the door is not securely closed, the system can automatically close the door to prevent excessive power consumption. Therefore, automatic door opening technology in refrigerators holds great promise for future development.

[0003] In the prior art, there are many technologies for automatically opening and closing refrigerator doors. However, since opening the door requires a large torque, the automatic door opening and closing structures of refrigerators in the prior art are very complex in order to meet the torque requirement. Summary of the Invention

[0004] A refrigerator is provided in an embodiment of the present invention to solve the problem of complex automatic door opening and closing structure of refrigerators in the prior art.

[0005] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the present invention provides a refrigerator, comprising a cabinet body and a cabinet door, wherein the cabinet door has a door seal. The refrigerator also comprises: a door opening mechanism, which is mounted on the cabinet body and arranged at the door seal position.

[0006] Furthermore, the door opening mechanism includes: a driving component installed on the box body; a door opening push rod, which is driven and connected to the driving component, and is arranged at the door seal position, and the door opening push rod pushes the box door to open from the door seal.

[0007] Furthermore, the door opening push rod has a pushing end that contacts the door seal.

[0008] Furthermore, a magnetic sheet is provided on the pushing end.

[0009] Furthermore, a placement groove is provided on the box body, and the notch of the placement groove is arranged toward the box door; the pushing end of the door opening push rod is located in the placement groove when the box door is closed, and the pushing end of the door opening push rod can move from the placement groove toward the box door and push the box door to open.

[0010] Furthermore, a first end of the placement groove is communicated with the cold chamber of the refrigerator, and a second end of the placement groove is communicated with the external environment of the refrigerator, and the cold chamber of the refrigerator and the external environment of the refrigerator can be communicated through the placement groove; when the door is closed, the pushing end of the door opening push rod separates the cold chamber of the refrigerator and the external environment of the refrigerator; when the pushing end of the door opening push rod pushes the door, the cold chamber of the refrigerator and the external environment of the refrigerator are communicated through the placement groove.

[0011] Furthermore, a sealing member is provided in the placement groove, and the sealing member is sealedly connected to the placement groove; when the box door is closed, the pushing end of the door opening push rod is sealed and matched with the sealing member.

[0012] Furthermore, the driving component includes a motor; the door opening push rod has a rack, and the motor is drivingly connected to the rack.

[0013] Furthermore, the door opening push rod can move in two directions, and the door opening push rod has a reset position for closing the door and a push position for opening the door.

[0014] Furthermore, the motor and the rack are both located on the outer surface of the top of the box.

[0015] When the door opening mechanism pushes the door, its position corresponds to the door seal. The door opening mechanism will first squeeze the door seal. Since the door seal is relatively soft and is in an adsorbed state when the door is closed, the reaction force on the push is very small, and the door opening mechanism does not need a lot of force to move forward. At the same time, a gap will be generated between the door seal and the refrigerator body. The gap will connect the airflow inside and outside the refrigerator, allowing the gas outside the refrigerator to enter the refrigerator and balance the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the refrigerator. In this way, there is no longer a negative pressure problem when opening the door. It is only necessary to overcome the suction of the door seal to push the door open. Therefore, the present invention can solve the problem of complex structure in the prior art through the cooperation of the door opening mechanism and the door seal, and the automatic door opening and closing structure of the refrigerator is simpler. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] Figure 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0017] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 Schematic diagram of partial structural decomposition of refrigerator;

[0018] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structural decomposition of the refrigerator;

[0019] Figure 4 yes Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure of the refrigerator body. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] The present invention will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments, but they are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0021] Existing automatic door opening and closing mechanisms for refrigerators generally do not account for negative pressure within the refrigerator. Therefore, these mechanisms must provide a torque to overcome the pressure differential between the inside and outside of the refrigerator, as well as the suction force of the door seal. This often results in complex structural components to provide sufficient torque. Therefore, the applicant analyzed the aforementioned issues and identified the cause of the internal and external pressure differential, a problem often overlooked in the field, and proposed a solution to this problem.

[0022] See also Figures 1 to 4 As shown, according to an embodiment of the present invention, a refrigerator is provided, including a cabinet body 10 and a cabinet door 20, wherein the cabinet door 20 has a door seal 21, and the refrigerator further includes a door opening mechanism 30, which is installed on the cabinet body 10 and is arranged at the position of the door seal 21.

[0023] When the door opening mechanism pushes the door, its position corresponds to the door seal. The door opening mechanism will first squeeze the door seal. Since the door seal is relatively soft and is in an adsorbed state when the door is closed, the reaction force on the push is very small, and the door opening mechanism does not need a lot of force to move forward. At the same time, a gap will be generated between the door seal and the refrigerator body. The gap will connect the airflow inside and outside the refrigerator, allowing the gas outside the refrigerator to enter the refrigerator and balance the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the refrigerator. In this way, there is no longer a negative pressure problem when opening the door. It is only necessary to overcome the suction of the door seal to push the door open. Therefore, the present invention can solve the problem of complex structure in the prior art through the cooperation of the door opening mechanism and the door seal, and the automatic door opening and closing structure of the refrigerator is simpler.

[0024] The door opening mechanism 30 includes a drive component 31 and a door opening push rod 32. The drive component 31 is mounted on the housing 10. The door opening push rod 32 is drivingly connected to the drive component 31 and is positioned at the door seal 21. The door opening push rod 32 pushes the door 20 open at the door seal 21. In this embodiment, the door opening push rod 32 is L-shaped, with the long end being used for driving connection with the drive component 31 and the short end for pushing the door seal 21.

[0025] Combine Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the door opening push rod 32 has a push end 32a that contacts the door seal 21. In this embodiment, the L-shaped door opening push rod 32 has a short end that forms the push end 32a. The push end 32a is designed to contact the door seal 21. The push end 32a is typically plate-shaped and has a sufficient length to allow the door seal to open.

[0026] To ensure the refrigerator's seal and prevent air leakage, a magnetic sheet 40 is provided on the push end 32a. This sheet is typically a magnetic iron sheet, designed to hold the door closed and prevent air leakage. The magnetic sheet can be connected to the push end 32a in various ways, such as gluing, welding, snap-fitting, or interference fitting. The ultimate goal is simply to achieve a connection.

[0027] Further preferably, a receiving groove 11 is provided on the box body 10, and the notch of the receiving groove 11 is provided toward the box door 20. The pushing end 32a of the door opening push rod 32 is located in the receiving groove 11 when the box door 20 is closed. The pushing end 32a of the door opening push rod 32 can move from the receiving groove 11 toward the box door 20 and push the box door 20 to open. In this embodiment, the box body 10 includes an outer shell and an inner lining, and the structures of the box body 10 cooperate to form the receiving groove 11. Figure 3 and Figure 4 The placement groove 11 is opened for the pushing end 32a of the door opening push rod. The pushing end 32a is located in the placement groove 11 when the box door 20 is closed. At this time, the pushing end 32a is located in the placement groove 11 or is flush with the notch of the placement groove 11, and the box door can be completely fitted with the corresponding part of the box body to achieve a flush sealing fit, thereby ensuring the sealing effect of the refrigerator.

[0028] Furthermore, the placement groove 11 also serves to open the aforementioned gap for gas circulation. In this embodiment, the first end of the placement groove 11 communicates with the refrigerator's cold compartment, and the second end of the placement groove 11 communicates with the refrigerator's external environment (i.e., the second end of the placement groove 11 is located on the outer surface of the refrigerator door). The refrigerator's cold compartment and the refrigerator's external environment can be connected through the placement groove 11 (the extension direction of the placement groove 11 is the direction of gas circulation, and the placement groove 11 forms the aforementioned first and second ends in the extension direction). When the refrigerator door 20 is closed, the push end 32a of the door opening push rod 32 separates the refrigerator's cold compartment from the refrigerator's external environment; when the push end 32a of the door opening push rod 32 pushes the refrigerator door 20, the refrigerator's cold compartment and the refrigerator's external environment are connected through the placement groove 11. When the pushing end 32a of the door opening push rod 32 starts to push the refrigerator door 20, a gap is generated between the pushing end 32a and the bottom of the placement groove 11. The generated gap connects the two airflows of the cold room in the refrigerator and the external environment of the refrigerator, allowing the gas outside the refrigerator to enter the interior of the refrigerator, balancing the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the refrigerator and eliminating the negative pressure.

[0029] Preferably, a sealing member 12 is provided in the placement groove 11, and the sealing member 12 is sealedly connected to the placement groove 11; when the box door 20 is closed, the pushing end 32a of the door opening push rod 32 is sealed with the sealing member 12. While the sealing member 12 contacts the three surfaces of the placement groove 11, it also contacts one surface of the pushing end 32a, thereby achieving a three-sided seal to prevent the cold air in the refrigerator from leaking out when the box door is not opened. The sealing member 12 in this embodiment is a sealing silicone, which has a plurality of protruding cylinders on it, which are interference-inserted into the mounting holes in the placement groove 11, and after the box body is foamed, the adsorption reinforcement of the foaming material is utilized to prevent the sealing silicone from falling out. The sealing silicone can be replaced with other materials, such as PVC / TPE and other sealing materials.

[0030] The drive component 31 includes a motor, and the door opening push rod 32 has a rack 32b, which is drivably connected to the motor. The motor's output shaft is drivably connected to the rack 32b via a gear. In this embodiment, the rack 32b is formed on the long end of the L-shaped door opening push rod 32, and the length of the long end also extends in the direction of the rack 32b.

[0031] The door-opening push rod 32 is bidirectionally movable, with a reset position for closing the door 20 and a push position for opening the door 20. The motor is bidirectional, and the motor's rotation and the coordination of the rack gear enable bidirectional movement of the door-opening push rod 32. In the push position, the door opens. After opening, the door-opening push rod 32 defaults to its reset position, where it remains closed. The rotary actuator then rotates the door to its set position, completing the door-opening process.

[0032] The motor and the rack 32b are both located on the outer surface of the top of the box body 10. This structure is used in conjunction with the L-shaped door push rod 32 to complete the pushing effect of the door push rod 32. In addition, the motor and the door push rod located on the outer surface of the top of the box body 10 are convenient for maintenance and installation.

[0033] The refrigerator structure provided by the present invention achieves a balanced pressure difference between the inside and outside of the refrigerator by squeezing the door seal before pushing the door open. This reduces the resistance required to push the door open, making the refrigerator door open more smoothly and structurally more robust. Furthermore, it prevents excessive force from causing the door to shake or appear to open too suddenly, thereby improving the user experience.

[0034] It should be noted that the terms used herein are only for describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the exemplary embodiments according to the present application. As used herein, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular form is also intended to include the plural form. In addition, it should be understood that when the terms "comprise" and / or "include" are used in this specification, they indicate the presence of features, steps, tasks, devices, components and / or combinations thereof.

[0035] It should be noted that the terms "first," "second," and the like in the specification and claims of this application and the accompanying drawings are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or precedence. It should be understood that the terms used in this manner are interchangeable where appropriate, so that the embodiments of the present application described herein can be implemented in an order other than that illustrated or described herein.

[0036] Of course, the above are preferred embodiments of the present invention. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make several improvements and modifications without departing from the basic principles of the present invention, and these improvements and modifications are also considered to be within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A refrigerator, comprising a box body (10) and a door (20), wherein the door (20) is provided with a door seal (21), characterized in that: The refrigerator further comprises: A door opening mechanism (30), the door opening mechanism (30) being installed on the box body (10), and the door opening mechanism (30) being arranged at the position of the door seal (21); The door opening mechanism (30) comprises: A driving component (31) is mounted on the housing (10); A door opening push rod (32), the door opening push rod (32) is drivingly connected to the driving component (31), the door opening push rod (32) is arranged at the position of the door seal (21), and the door opening push rod (32) pushes the box door (20) to open at the door seal (21); The door opening push rod (32) has a pushing end (32a) in contact with the door seal (21); The box body (10) is provided with a placement groove (11), and the notch of the placement groove (11) is arranged toward the box door (20); The pushing end (32a) of the door-opening push rod (32) is located in the receiving groove (11) when the box door (20) is closed, and the pushing end (32a) of the door-opening push rod (32) can move from the receiving groove (11) toward the box door (20) and push the box door (20) to open; The first end of the placement groove (11) is in communication with the cold room of the refrigerator, and the second end of the placement groove (11) is in communication with the external environment of the refrigerator, and the cold room of the refrigerator and the external environment of the refrigerator can be in communication through the placement groove (11); When the refrigerator door (20) is closed, the pushing end (32a) of the door opening push rod (32) separates the cold room of the refrigerator from the external environment of the refrigerator; When the pushing end (32a) of the door-opening push rod (32) pushes the cabinet door (20), the cold room of the refrigerator and the external environment of the refrigerator are communicated through the placement groove (11).

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein: A magnetic attraction sheet (40) is provided on the pushing end (32a).

3. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein: A sealing member (12) is provided in the placement groove (11), and the sealing member (12) is sealedly connected to the placement groove (11); When the box door (20) is closed, the pushing end (32a) of the door opening push rod (32) is in sealing cooperation with the sealing member (12).

4. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein The driving component (31) includes a motor; The door opening push rod (32) has a rack (32b), and the motor is drivingly connected to the rack (32b).

5. The refrigerator according to claim 4, characterized in that The door opening push rod (32) can move in two directions, and the door opening push rod (32) has a reset position for cooperating with the box door (20) to close and a push position for pushing the box door (20) open.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 4, characterized in that The motor and the rack (32b) are both located on the outer surface of the top of the box (10).

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