Refrigeration and freezing equipment

Abstract

This invention provides a refrigeration and freezing apparatus. The apparatus includes a cabinet, at least one door, and an ice-making unit. The cabinet defines at least one storage compartment. The at least one door is used to open and close the at least one storage compartment. The ice-making unit is disposed within one of the doors. The refrigeration and freezing apparatus also includes a drainage system configured to collect defrost water generated by the ice-making unit and blow the gaseous defrost water upwards from the cabinet. By collecting the defrost water generated by the ice-making unit and blowing the gaseous defrost water upwards from the cabinet, this invention simplifies the door structure, uses shorter piping, and effectively drains and treats defrost water, reducing production difficulty and costs, and allowing the door to have a larger ice-making and ice-storage space.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of refrigeration and freezing, and in particular to a refrigeration and freezing device with an ice-making unit installed in the door. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, refrigerators with ice-making compartments on the door mostly transfer the cold air from the freezer compartment to the ice-making compartment through air ducts. This not only results in complex air duct structures, condensation at the junction of the refrigerator and door air ducts, and long ice-making times, but also makes it easy for odors to cross between the ice-making and freezer compartments, affecting the cleanliness of the ice. However, direct cooling ice making in the door presents significant challenges: complex and difficult refrigerant piping connections, excessively long transmission distances, and the need for effective defrosting and drainage within a confined space. These challenges have remained unresolved technical problems for those skilled in the art.

[0003] Taking all factors into consideration, the design needs to provide a refrigeration and freezing device with a door-mounted ice-making unit that can effectively drain water and treat defrost water. Summary of the Invention

[0004] One object of the present invention is to overcome at least one technical defect in the prior art and to provide a refrigeration and freezing apparatus having a door-type ice-making unit.

[0005] A further objective of this invention is to improve drainage performance.

[0006] Another further objective of the invention is to prevent more water vapor from condensing inside the water collector.

[0007] In particular, the present invention provides a refrigeration and freezing apparatus, comprising:

[0008] The enclosure is limited to having at least one storage compartment;

[0009] At least one door for opening and closing the at least one storage compartment; and

[0010] An ice-making unit is disposed within one of the doors; and the refrigeration and freezing device further includes:

[0011] The drainage system is configured to collect the defrosting water generated by the ice-making unit and blow the gaseous defrosting water upwards from the top of the housing.

[0012] Optionally, the drainage system includes:

[0013] A water collector, installed on the door, is used to collect defrosting water generated by the ice-making unit;

[0014] A drainage duct is configured to connect the water collector and the upper part of the housing; and

[0015] A drainage fan is configured to direct air from the water collector through the drainage duct to the top of the housing; wherein

[0016] The end of the water collector furthest from the drainage duct is configured to be connected to the indoor environment.

[0017] Optionally, the drainage fan is positioned above the housing; and

[0018] The drainage fan is configured to draw in air from the drainage duct and cause the air to flow along the top wall of the housing.

[0019] Optionally, the drainage fan is a centrifugal fan with a vertically extending axis of rotation.

[0020] Optionally, the drainage system further includes:

[0021] The return air duct is configured such that one end is connected to the water collector, and the other end passes through the front wall of the door and connects to the indoor environment.

[0022] Optionally, the water collector is provided with an insulation layer on its outer periphery.

[0023] Optionally, the door defines an ice-making chamber, the ice-making unit is disposed in the ice-making chamber, and the ice-making unit includes:

[0024] An ice maker, which is limited to having at least one ice maker compartment for holding water or ice cubes;

[0025] Heat exchange fins and refrigeration pipes, wherein the heat exchange fins are thermally connected to the refrigeration pipes to provide cooling for the ice-making chamber;

[0026] A separator, configured to drive the movement of ice blocks within the ice-making tank; and

[0027] Heating tubes are used to heat the heat exchange fins for defrosting; wherein

[0028] The heating element and the drainage fan are configured to operate after the separator has completed each drive of the ice blocks.

[0029] Optionally, a heating wire is provided at the bottom of the water collector; and

[0030] When the indoor temperature is greater than or equal to a preset temperature threshold and the humidity is greater than or equal to a preset humidity threshold, the heating wire is set to operate after the separator completes driving the ice cubes, and the drainage fan is set to operate after the heating wire has operated for a preset time.

[0031] Optionally, when the indoor temperature is less than the preset temperature threshold and the humidity is less than the preset humidity threshold, the drainage fan is set to start working at the same time as the heating pipe begins to heat exchange fins, and to work until the height of the defrosting water in the water collector is less than or equal to the preset height threshold.

[0032] Optionally, the drainage duct includes:

[0033] A gate section is provided on the gate body and one end is connected to the water collector; and

[0034] A housing section is disposed within the housing and one end is connected to the top of the housing; wherein

[0035] The door section is configured to connect and communicate with the box section when the door is in the closed state.

[0036] This invention collects the defrosting water generated by the ice-making unit and blows the gaseous defrosting water to the top of the cabinet. This simplifies the door structure, allows for the use of shorter pipes, and enables effective discharge and treatment of defrosting water, reducing production difficulty and costs, while also providing the door with a larger ice-making and ice-storage space.

[0037] Furthermore, the present invention uses a centrifugal fan to cause the air in the drainage duct to flow along the top wall of the box, which can prevent dust from falling into the fan and drainage duct, and make the blown air spread quickly. Even if condensation forms on the top wall of the box, it is a thin layer of water mist that can evaporate quickly, resulting in better drainage effect and user experience.

[0038] Furthermore, when the indoor temperature and humidity are both high, the present invention uses a heating wire to heat the water collector, which can improve the evaporation efficiency of defrost water and prevent more water vapor from condensing inside the water collector; when the indoor temperature and humidity are both low, the heating pipe and the drainage fan start working at the same time, which can use the ambient air to preheat the water collector and make defrosting and drainage happen simultaneously, further shortening the drainage cycle.

[0039] The above and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become more apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of specific embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0040] The following sections will describe some specific embodiments of the invention in detail by way of example and not limitation, with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numerals in the drawings denote the same or similar parts or portions. Those skilled in the art should understand that these drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. In the drawings:

[0041] Figure 1 This is a schematic isometric view of a refrigeration and freezing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0042] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A schematic axonometric view of the central door, in which part of the outer shell and ice-making liner of the door are removed;

[0043] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 A schematic cross-sectional view of the ice-making unit;

[0044] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 Schematic exploded view of the intermediate water connection assembly;

[0045] Figure 5 Observing from bottom to top Figure 1 A schematic isometric view of a central water collector;

[0046] Figure 6 This is a schematic isometric view of a water collector and its return air duct according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0047] Figure 1 This is a schematic isometric view of a refrigeration and freezing apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A schematic isometric view of the central door 120, wherein part of the outer shell 121 and the ice-making inner liner 122 of the door 120 are removed. See also Figure 1 and Figure 2 The refrigeration and freezing apparatus 100 may include a housing 110 defining at least one storage compartment 111, at least one door for opening and closing the at least one storage compartment 111, an ice-making unit 130 disposed within a door 120, and a refrigeration system for providing cooling capacity to the at least one storage compartment 111 and the ice-making unit 130. In this invention, at least one refers to one, two, or more than two.

[0048] The door 120 may include an outer shell 121, an ice-making inner liner 122 disposed within the outer shell 121, and an insulation layer disposed between the outer shell 121 and the ice-making inner liner 122. The ice-making inner liner 122 may define an ice-making chamber, and the ice-making unit 130 may be disposed within the ice-making chamber to increase the storage space of the storage chamber 111.

[0049] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 Schematic cross-sectional view of the ice-making unit 130. See also Figure 3 The ice-making unit 130 may include an ice box 131, a refrigeration pipe 132, a heat exchange fin 133, a heating pipe 135, and a separator 136.

[0050] The ice container 131 may have at least one ice-making compartment for holding water or ice. There may be multiple ice-making compartments, which are distributed along the longitudinal direction of the ice container 131.

[0051] The heat exchange fins 133 can be thermally connected to the refrigeration pipe 132 to provide cooling to the ice-making chamber. In this invention, the refrigeration pipe 132 can be a refrigerant evaporation pipe, which is connected to the portion of the refrigeration system located in the housing 110 via a flexible hose and is connected in parallel with the evaporator.

[0052] The heat exchange fins 133 can be positioned below the ice container 131, with the cooling pipe 132 sandwiched between them and the ice container 131, so that the ice container 131 and the heat exchange fins 133 are cooled simultaneously, thereby improving the structural compactness of the ice-making unit 130 and reducing the space occupied.

[0053] A heat insulation component 134 may be provided between the cooling pipe 132 and the ice container 131 to reduce the ice-making speed and increase the transparency of the ice cubes.

[0054] The heating tube 135 can also be sandwiched between the ice box 131 and the heat exchange fins 133 to heat the ice box 131 to remove ice and / or heat the heat exchange fins 133 to defrost.

[0055] Alternatively, the cooling pipe 132 and the heating pipe 135 can also be fixed to the heat exchange fins 133, which are then thermally connected to the ice container 131.

[0056] The separator 136 may be configured to drive the movement of ice blocks within the ice-making tank. Exemplarily, the separator 136 may include a lever and a drive mechanism for driving the lever.

[0057] The ice-making unit 130 may also include a lid 137. The lid 137 may be disposed above the ice-making container 131 and guide the ice cubes driven by the separator 136 to the bottom of the ice-making container 131. An ice storage box may be disposed below the ice-making unit 130 to catch any falling ice cubes.

[0058] The ice-making unit 130 may also include a fan assembly 138 to promote air circulation within the ice-making chamber.

[0059] The fan assembly 138 may include a circulating fan and a fan bracket. The circulating fan may be configured to facilitate airflow within the ice-making chamber through the heat exchange fins 133. The fan bracket may be configured to be fixedly connected to the cover 137 and support the circulating fan.

[0060] In some embodiments, the ice-making unit 130 may further include a water-receiving assembly 139. The water-receiving assembly 139 may be disposed below the heat exchange fins 133 for receiving defrosting water generated by the heat exchange fins 133.

[0061] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 Schematic exploded view of the intermediate water connection assembly 139. See also Figure 4 The water receiving assembly 139 may include a water receiving tray 1391, a heating wire 1392, a heat insulation material 1394, and a lower cover plate 1393.

[0062] The water receiving tray 1391 can be set below the heat exchange fins 133 to receive the defrosting water generated by the heat exchange fins 133 when the heating tube 135 is working.

[0063] The heating wire 1392 can be installed on the bottom wall of the water receiving tray 1391 to prevent the defrosting water from freezing in the water receiving tray 1391, so that the defrosting water can be discharged smoothly.

[0064] The heating wire 1392 can be placed below the water receiving tray 1391 to avoid safety hazards and improve the safety of the ice making unit 130.

[0065] The heat insulation material 1394 can be placed below the heating wire 1392 to reduce the temperature impact of heating on the environment below the heating wire 1392.

[0066] The lower cover plate 1393 can be disposed below the heat insulation material 1394 to support the water receiving tray 1391, the heating wire 1392, and the heat insulation material 1394. The lower cover plate 1393 can be fixedly connected to at least one of the drive device of the separator 136 and the cover 137, thereby fixing the water receiving assembly 139 and facilitating the production and transportation of the ice making unit 130.

[0067] The lower cover plate 1393 may have a drain outlet and a wire hole, so that the defrosting water in the water receiving tray 1391 can be discharged through the drain outlet and the heating wire 1392 can be electrically connected through the wire hole.

[0068] The projection of the heat exchange fins 133 onto the vertical plane can be located within the lower cover plate 1393 to improve the structural compactness of the ice-making unit 130.

[0069] The lower cover plate 1393 may have ventilation holes that penetrate the circumferential sidewall of the lower cover plate 1393 in a horizontal direction, so that the heat exchange fins 133 can exchange heat with the surrounding environment.

[0070] See Figure 1 and Figure 2 The refrigeration and freezing unit 100 may also include a drainage system. In particular, the drainage system may be configured to collect defrost water generated by the ice-making unit 130 and blow the gaseous defrost water toward the top of the cabinet 110, so as to simplify the structure of the door 120, use shorter pipes, and achieve effective discharge and treatment of defrost water, reduce production difficulty and production cost, and make the door 120 have a larger ice-making and ice-storage space.

[0071] The drainage system may include a water collector 141, a drainage duct, and a drainage fan 145. The water collector 141 may be installed on the door 120 and connected to the water receiving tray 1391 via a pipe 142, for collecting defrosting water generated by the ice-making unit 130.

[0072] The drainage duct can be configured to connect the water collector 141 and the upper part of the housing 110. The drainage fan 145 can be configured to cause air to flow from the water collector 141 through the drainage duct to the upper part of the housing 110.

[0073] In some embodiments, the heating element 135 and the drain fan 145 may be configured to operate after the separator 136 has completed driving the ice cubes each time, that is, after each ice making is completed, the heat exchange fins 133 are defrosted and the defrost water is treated, so as to reduce the amount of defrost water generated per defrost and shorten the time required for a single drainage.

[0074] In some embodiments, the drainage duct may include a door section 143 and a housing section 144. The housing section 144 may be disposed in the housing 110 and one end may communicate with the top of the housing 110.

[0075] Door section 143 can be installed on door 120 and connected at one end to water collector 141. Door section 143 can be configured to connect and communicate with housing section 144 when door 120 is in the closed state, so that defrosting water can be transmitted to the top of housing 110. Door section 143 and housing section 144 can respectively form door interface 1431 and housing interface 1441 for docking and communication.

[0076] For example, the door 120 may be configured to be partially located within the storage compartment 111 when closed. A door interface 1431 may be located on the portion of the door 120 located within the storage compartment 111, and on the side wall near the rotation axis of the door 120. A housing section 144 may be at least partially pre-installed within the insulation layer of the housing 110, and a housing interface 1441 may be located on the side wall of the storage compartment 111 near the rotation axis of the door 120.

[0077] In some embodiments, the drainage fan 145 may be disposed above the housing 110, configured to draw in air from the drainage duct and cause the air to flow along the top wall of the housing 110, so that the blown air can be quickly diffused, and even if condensation forms on the top wall of the housing 110, it is only a thin layer of water mist that can evaporate quickly, resulting in better drainage effect and user experience.

[0078] The drainage fan 145 can be a centrifugal fan with a vertically extending axis of rotation to prevent dust from falling into the fan and drainage duct.

[0079] Figure 6 This is a schematic isometric view of the water collector 141 and its return air duct 147 according to an embodiment of the present invention. See also Figure 6 The end of the water collector 141 away from the drainage duct can be configured to connect with the indoor environment through the return air duct 147 to achieve air circulation.

[0080] The return air duct 147 can be connected to the indoor environment through the front wall of the door 120 to ensure the airflow entering the water collector 141. That is, the return air duct 147 is configured such that one end is connected to the water collector 141, and the other end passes through the front wall of the door 120 and is connected to the indoor environment.

[0081] For example, the door 120 may also be provided with a water distributor, the housing 123 of which may have a rearwardly recessed cavity. The return air duct 147 may be configured to pass through the housing 123 of the water distributor and communicate with the cavity to draw in indoor air.

[0082] Figure 5 Observing from bottom to top Figure 1 Schematic isometric view of the central water collector 141, see Figure 5 A heating wire 146 may be installed at the bottom of the water collector 141 to heat the defrosting water inside the water collector 141.

[0083] When the indoor temperature is greater than or equal to a preset temperature threshold and the humidity is greater than or equal to a preset humidity threshold, the heating wire 146 can be set to work after the separator 136 has finished driving the ice, and the drain fan 145 can be set to work after the heating wire 146 has worked for a preset time, so as to improve the evaporation efficiency of defrosting water and prevent more water vapor from condensing in the water collector 141.

[0084] When the indoor temperature is lower than the preset temperature threshold and the humidity is lower than the preset humidity threshold, the drain fan 145 can be set to start working at the same time as the heating pipe 135 starts to heat exchange fins 133, and work until the height of defrosting water in the water collector 141 is less than or equal to the preset height threshold, so as to use the ambient air to preheat the water collector 141 and make defrosting and drainage occur simultaneously, further shortening the drainage cycle.

[0085] The preset height threshold can be 0, that is, the drainage fan 145 works until the defrosting water in the water collector 141 is completely removed.

[0086] An insulation layer may be provided around the water collector 141 to prevent condensation on the outer wall of the water collector 141 and to reduce the impact of the cold air from the ice-making room on the temperature of the water collector 141. The water collector 141 may be directly installed inside the foam layer of the door body 120, or it may be installed on the outside of the foam layer of the door body 120 and separately covered with insulation material.

[0087] Therefore, those skilled in the art should recognize that although numerous exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described in detail herein, many other variations or modifications conforming to the principles of the present invention can be directly determined or derived from the disclosure of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, the scope of the present invention should be understood and construed as covering all such other variations or modifications.

Claims

1. A refrigeration and freezing apparatus, comprising: The enclosure is limited to having at least one storage compartment; At least one door for opening and closing the at least one storage room; as well as An ice-making unit is disposed within one of the aforementioned doors; The refrigeration and freezing device also includes: A drainage system is configured to collect defrost water generated by the ice-making unit and blow the gaseous defrost water upwards towards the top of the housing; wherein, the drainage system includes: A water collector, installed on the door, is used to collect defrosting water generated by the ice-making unit; A drainage duct is configured to connect the water collector and the upper part of the housing; and A drainage fan is configured to direct air from the water collector through the drainage duct to the top of the housing; wherein... The end of the water collector away from the drainage duct is configured to be connected to the indoor environment; The drainage fan is positioned above the housing; and The drainage fan is configured to draw in air from the drainage duct and cause the air to flow along the top wall of the housing.

2. The refrigeration and freezing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The drainage fan is a centrifugal fan with its rotation axis extending vertically.

3. The refrigeration and freezing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The drainage system also includes: The return air duct is configured such that one end is connected to the water collector, and the other end passes through the front wall of the door and connects to the indoor environment.

4. The refrigeration and freezing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The water collector is provided with an insulation layer on its outer periphery.

5. The refrigeration and freezing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The door defines an ice-making chamber, the ice-making unit is disposed in the ice-making chamber, and the ice-making unit includes: An ice maker, which is limited to having at least one ice maker compartment for holding water or ice cubes; Heat exchange fins and refrigeration pipes, wherein the heat exchange fins are thermally connected to the refrigeration pipes to provide cooling for the ice-making chamber; A separator, configured to drive the movement of ice blocks within the ice-making tank; and Heating tubes are used to heat the heat exchange fins for defrosting; wherein The heating element and the drainage fan are configured to operate after the separator has completed each drive of the ice blocks.

6. The refrigeration and freezing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein, The bottom of the water collector is equipped with a heating wire; and When the indoor temperature is greater than or equal to a preset temperature threshold and the humidity is greater than or equal to a preset humidity threshold, the heating wire is set to operate after the separator completes driving the ice cubes, and the drainage fan is set to operate after the heating wire has operated for a preset time.

7. The refrigeration and freezing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein, When the indoor temperature is less than the preset temperature threshold and the humidity is less than the preset humidity threshold, the drainage fan is set to start working at the same time as the heating pipe begins to heat exchange fins, and to work until the height of the defrosting water in the water collector is less than or equal to the preset height threshold.

8. The refrigeration and freezing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The drainage duct includes: A gate section is provided on the gate body and one end is connected to the water collector; and A housing section is disposed within the housing and one end is connected to the top of the housing; wherein The door section is configured to connect and communicate with the box section when the door is in the closed state.

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