Refrigerator and electrolytic deoxidation device thereof

Abstract

The present invention provides a refrigerator and an electrolytic deoxidizer therefor. The electrolytic deoxidizer is used to separate oxygen from air flowing through it through an electrolytic reaction. The device comprises a housing and a cathode composite plate. The housing has an opening. The cathode composite plate is disposed at the opening to define, together with the housing, a liquid storage chamber for containing an electrolyte. The cathode composite plate is configured to electrolyze oxygen in the air flowing through it to generate negative ions, and the negative ions are allowed to pass through the cathode composite plate into the electrolyte in the liquid storage chamber. The electrolytic deoxidizer of the present invention utilizes the cathode composite plate to seal the housing, which not only ensures a good sealing effect at the housing opening but also withstands corrosion from a strongly alkaline electrolyte, thereby extending the service life of the electrolytic deoxidizer.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to refrigeration and freezing technology, in particular to a refrigerator and an electrolytic deoxidation device thereof. Background Art

[0002] Refrigerators with deoxygenation functions are currently available. These utilize electrolysis to separate oxygen from the air introduced into the deoxygenator, leaving nitrogen trapped or expelled into the refrigerator's storage compartment to preserve food freshness. Specifically, the deoxygenator's electrolysis chamber is equipped with a waterproof, breathable membrane to prevent electrolyte leakage while allowing outside air to enter the chamber for the electrolysis reaction.

[0003] However, usually, the electrolysis reaction requires a strongly alkaline electrolyte, so the deoxygenation device only uses a waterproof and breathable membrane to seal the electrolysis chamber, which is not only difficult to withstand the corrosion of the electrolyte, but also prone to leakage, and has poor practicality. Summary of the Invention

[0004] An object of the present invention is to overcome at least one drawback of the prior art and to provide a refrigerator and an electrolytic deoxidation device thereof.

[0005] A further object of the present invention is to utilize cathode composite plates to seal electrolytic deoxidation devices.

[0006] Another further object of the present invention is to use separators to fix the distance between the cathode composite plate and the anode plate.

[0007] Yet another further object of the present invention is to secure the cathode composite plate to the opening of the casing.

[0008] In particular, the present invention provides an electrolytic deoxidation device for separating oxygen from air flowing therethrough by electrolysis, the electrolytic deoxidation device comprising:

[0009] a housing having an opening; and

[0010] The cathode composite plate is arranged at the opening to define a liquid storage cavity for containing electrolyte together with the shell, and the cathode composite plate is configured to electrolyze oxygen in the air flowing through it to generate negative ions, and allow the negative ions to pass through the cathode composite plate into the electrolyte in the liquid storage cavity.

[0011] Furthermore, the housing is flat; and

[0012] The opening is opened on the wider side of the shell.

[0013] Furthermore, the electrolytic deoxidation device further comprises:

[0014] The anode plate is spaced apart from the cathode composite plate and is arranged in the liquid storage cavity. The anode plate is configured to oxidize the negative ions in the electrolyte into oxygen and discharge the oxygen out of the liquid storage cavity to separate the oxygen in the air flowing through the electrolytic deoxidation device.

[0015] Furthermore, the anode plate and the cathode composite plate are arranged in parallel; and

[0016] The distance between the anode plate and the cathode composite plate is configured to be between 5 mm and 10 mm.

[0017] Furthermore, the electrolytic deoxidation device further comprises:

[0018] The separator is arranged in the liquid storage cavity and is located between the cathode composite plate and the anode plate. A plurality of protrusions are formed on the side of the separator facing the anode plate. The protrusions abut against the anode plate to separate the cathode composite plate and the anode plate to prevent the electrolytic deoxidation device from short-circuiting.

[0019] Furthermore, the electrolytic deoxidation device further comprises:

[0020] The fixing assembly is arranged on the outer side of the cathode composite plate and is configured to fix the cathode composite plate at the opening.

[0021] Furthermore, the fixing component further includes:

[0022] A metal frame is attached to the outer side of the cathode composite plate, and the metal frame protrudes outward to form a surrounding portion; and

[0023] The support member is arranged on the outside of the metal frame and has an outer ring and an inner ring located inside the outer ring. The outer ring is fixedly connected to the shell, and a plug-in groove is formed on the inner side of the inner ring. The surrounding part extends into the plug-in groove to fix the metal frame and the cathode composite plate at the opening.

[0024] Furthermore, reinforcing ribs are provided between the outer ring and the inner ring and inside the inner ring to fix the outer ring and the inner ring.

[0025] Furthermore, the cathode composite plate includes a catalytic layer, a first waterproof and breathable layer, a conductive layer and a second waterproof and breathable layer which are sequentially arranged from the inside to the outside.

[0026] In particular, the present invention also provides a refrigerator comprising any one of the above-mentioned electrolytic deoxidation devices.

[0027] In the electrolytic deoxidation device of the present invention, the cathode composite plate is arranged at the opening of the shell and together with the cathode composite plate defines a liquid storage cavity, and the cathode composite plate is used to seal the liquid storage cavity. Since the cathode composite plate itself has a certain strength, it can fully meet the sealing strength requirements of the liquid storage cavity, not only ensuring the sealing effect at the shell opening, but also being able to withstand the corrosion of the strong alkaline electrolyte, thereby improving the service life of the electrolytic deoxidation device.

[0028] Furthermore, in the electrolytic deoxidation device of the present invention, a separator is arranged in the liquid storage chamber and is located between the cathode composite plate and the anode plate. A plurality of protrusions are formed on the side of the separator facing the anode plate, and the protrusions abut against the anode plate. The cathode composite plate is abutted against the side of the separator away from the protrusions to form a preset gap between the cathode composite plate and the anode plate, which not only ensures the deoxidation efficiency of the electrolytic deoxidation device, but also improves the safety of the electrolytic deoxidation device.

[0029] Furthermore, in the electrolytic deoxidation device of the present invention, the cathode composite plate is fixed to the opening of the shell by a fixing assembly, the metal frame is in direct contact with the cathode composite plate, and the support member covers the metal frame. When the surrounding portion of the metal frame enters the insertion groove of the support member, the outer ring of the support member is fixedly connected to the shell, and the metal frame can be fixed and positioned by the support member, thereby allowing the metal frame to press the cathode composite plate tightly.

[0030] 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

[0031] 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:

[0032] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 2 is an exploded view of a refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present invention, wherein the cabinet is hidden;

[0034] Figure 3 is an exploded view of a refrigerator according to another embodiment of the present invention, wherein the cabinet is hidden;

[0035] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of an electrolytic deoxidation device according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 5 is an exploded view of a cathode composite plate in an electrolytic deoxidation device according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 6 is an exploded view of an electrolytic deoxidation device according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 7 yes Figure 6 A magnified view of point A;

[0039] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of a support member in an electrolytic deoxidation device according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0040] Figure 9 yes Figure 8 Enlarged view of point B in the middle. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0041] Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Although exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are shown in the accompanying drawings, it should be understood that the present disclosure can be implemented in various forms and should not be limited by the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to enable a more thorough understanding of the present disclosure and to fully convey the scope of the present disclosure to those skilled in the art.

[0042] See Figure 1 and Figure 2 , Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a refrigerator 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2 FIG1 is an exploded view of a refrigerator 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein a cabinet 10 is omitted. The present invention provides a refrigerator 1, which generally includes a cabinet 10 and a door 20.

[0043] The housing 10 includes an outer shell and multiple inner containers 40. The outer shell is located at the outermost side of the refrigerator 1 to protect the entire refrigerator 1. The multiple inner containers 40 are enclosed by the outer shell, and the space between them is filled with insulation material (forming a foam layer) to reduce heat dissipation from the inner containers 40. Each inner container 40 defines a forwardly open storage space, which can be configured as a refrigerator, freezer, or temperature-controlled room, etc. The specific number and function of the storage space can be configured according to pre-determined requirements.

[0044] The door body 20 is movably arranged in front of the inner liner 40 to open and close the storage space of the inner liner 40. For example, the door body 20 can be hingedly arranged on one side of the front of the box body 10 to open and close the storage space by pivoting.

[0045] See Figure 1 and Figure 3 , Figure 3 1 is an exploded view of a refrigerator 1 according to another embodiment of the present invention, wherein the housing 10 is hidden. In some embodiments, the refrigerator 1 may further include a drawer assembly 30, which may be disposed within the inner container 40. The user may pull and open the drawer assembly 30 to access the food therein.

[0046] Specifically, the drawer assembly 30 can also include a cylinder 32 and a drawer body 34. The cylinder 32 can be directly fixedly installed in one of the inner tanks 40. The interior of the drawer body 34 defines a storage space, and the drawer body 34 can be pulled out and connected to the cylinder 32 through a slide rail assembly 36.

[0047] See Figure 2 and Figure 3 In some embodiments, the refrigerator 1 may further include an electrolytic deoxidation device 100, which may be disposed on the inner tank 40 or the drawer assembly 30. The electrolytic deoxidation device 100 separates oxygen from the air flowing therethrough through an electrolytic reaction, and leaves nitrogen in the storage space of the inner tank 40 or the drawer body 34, thereby achieving fresh-keeping storage of food.

[0048] See Figure 2 For example, the electrolytic deoxidizer 100 can be disposed outside and behind the inner container 40. A plurality of ventilation holes 42 can be provided on the rear wall of the inner container 40 to guide the air therein. The electrolytic deoxidizer 100 can be fixedly disposed at the ventilation holes 42 to draw the air in the inner container 40 therein and separate the oxygen from the air and discharge it out of the inner container 40. This reduces the oxygen content in the air in the inner container 40 and improves the freshness preservation performance of the food.

[0049] See Figure 3 For another example, the electrolytic deoxidizer 100 can also be disposed outside and behind the drawer assembly 30. A plurality of ventilation holes 42 can be defined on the rear wall of the cylinder 32 of the drawer assembly 30, and the electrolytic deoxidizer 100 can be disposed at the ventilation holes 42. Correspondingly, a recessed portion 342 is formed on the rear wall of the drawer body 34 at locations opposite the ventilation holes 42 to facilitate the discharge of air from the drawer body 34 through the ventilation holes 42.

[0050] Of course, after knowing the technical solution of this embodiment, those skilled in the art may also install the electrolytic deoxidation device 100 at other locations of the inner container 40 or the drawer assembly 30. For example, on the side wall, bottom wall or top wall of the inner container 40, or on the top wall or front wall of the inner cylinder of the drawer assembly 30, etc., which are not listed here one by one.

[0051] See Figures 4 to 6 , Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of an electrolytic deoxidation device 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5 1 is an exploded view of a cathode composite plate 120 in an electrolytic deoxidation device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 6 FIG. 1 is an exploded view of an electrolytic deoxidation device 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0052] In some embodiments, the electrolytic deoxidation device 100 may further include a housing 110 and a cathode composite plate 120. The housing 110 has an opening, and the cathode composite plate 120 is disposed at the opening to electrolyze oxygen in the air flowing therethrough to generate negative ions, and allow the negative ions to pass through the cathode composite plate into the electrolyte in the liquid storage cavity. Furthermore, the cathode composite plate 120 may also define a liquid storage cavity for holding the electrolyte together with the housing 110. That is, the cathode composite plate 120 of this embodiment may directly serve as one of the walls of the housing 110 to seal the liquid storage cavity.

[0053] See Figure 4 In some specific embodiments, the housing 110 is a hollow structure, and is provided with a liquid replenishing port 112 for adding electrolyte and an exhaust port 114 for discharging oxygen.

[0054] See Figure 5 The cathode composite plate 120 can be composed of a catalytic layer 122, a first waterproof and breathable layer 124, a conductive layer 126 and a second waterproof and breathable layer 128, which are arranged in sequence from the inside to the outside. The "from the inside to the outside" can be understood as the direction from the inside to the outside of the shell 110. The catalytic layer 122 can use a precious metal or rare metal catalyst, such as metal platinum, metal gold, metal silver, metal manganese or metal rubidium. The first waterproof and breathable layer 124 and the second waterproof and breathable layer 128 can be waterproof and breathable membranes, so that the electrolyte cannot leak out of the liquid storage cavity, while air can pass through the first waterproof and breathable layer 124 and the second waterproof and breathable layer 128 into the liquid storage cavity. The conductive layer 126 can be made into a corrosion-resistant metal current collecting mesh, such as metal nickel, metal titanium, etc., so that it not only has better conductivity, corrosion resistance and supporting strength.

[0055] As described in the background technology section, the deoxygenation device in the prior art only uses a waterproof and breathable membrane to seal the electrolysis chamber, which is not only difficult to withstand the corrosion of the electrolyte, but also prone to leakage, and has poor practicality.

[0056] To overcome the aforementioned shortcomings of the prior art, the electrolytic deoxidation device 100 of this embodiment utilizes a cathode composite plate 120 integrally formed as a wall of the housing 110, thereby defining a liquid storage cavity together with the housing 110. The cathode composite plate 120 seals the liquid storage cavity. Furthermore, because the cathode composite plate 120 inherently possesses a certain strength, it can fully meet the sealing strength requirements of the liquid storage cavity. Furthermore, the cathode composite plate 120 utilizes two waterproof and breathable layers (i.e., a first waterproof and breathable layer 124 and a second waterproof and breathable layer 128) to effectively prevent leakage caused by electrolyte corrosion.

[0057] See Figures 2 to 6In some embodiments, the housing 110 can also be configured to be flat, with the opening located on a wider side of the housing 110. Since the cathode composite plate 120 covers the opening, the larger the opening, the larger the area of ​​the cathode composite plate 120. This increases the contact area between the cathode composite plate 120 and the air, thereby improving the electrolysis efficiency of the electrolytic deoxidizer 100. Furthermore, the flat design of the housing 110 can shorten the width of the electrolytic deoxidizer 100, reducing its occupied thickness and saving space.

[0058] See Figure 6 In some embodiments, the electrolytic deoxidation device 100 may further include an anode plate 140 . The anode plate 140 may also be made of a material with strong corrosion resistance and reducing properties, such as metal foam nickel, nickel mesh, etc.

[0059] The anode plate 140 can be disposed within the liquid storage chamber, spaced apart from the cathode composite plate 120. It has an anode power supply terminal 142 extending from the housing 110 and connected to the positive electrode of an external power source. During electrolysis, the anode plate 140 is used to reduce the negative ions in the electrolyte to oxygen, which is discharged from the liquid storage chamber to separate the oxygen from the air flowing through the electrolytic deoxidation device 100.

[0060] During operation, the air in the storage space of the drawer assembly 30 or the inner tank 40 contacts the cathode composite plate 120 located at the opening of the shell 110 through the ventilation hole 42, and the oxygen in the air undergoes a reduction reaction on the cathode composite plate 120, namely: O2+2H2O+4e-→4OH-; O2+H2O+2e-→HO2+OH-; as the reduction reaction on the cathode composite plate 120 proceeds, the electrolyzed negative ions OH- can pass through the cathode composite plate 120 into the electrolyte in the liquid storage cavity and undergo an oxidation reaction on the anode plate 140, namely: 4OH-→O2+2H2O+4e-; HO2+OH-→O2+H2O+2e-, and finally oxygen is generated on the anode plate 140 and discharged from the exhaust port 114 on the shell 110, thereby separating the oxygen in the air, thereby reducing the oxygen content in the storage space and ensuring the freshness of the food.

[0061] In some embodiments, the anode plate 140 and the cathode composite plate 120 may be arranged in parallel to increase their relative areas and promote the electrolysis reaction to proceed in a forward direction.

[0062] In addition, the inventors discovered through multiple experiments that setting the distance between the anode plate 140 and the cathode composite plate 120 to within the range of 5 mm to 10 mm (for example, 5 mm, 7 mm, or 10 mm, etc.) can not only avoid low reaction efficiency due to excessive spacing between the anode plate 140 and the cathode composite plate 120, but also avoid the oxygen generated by the anode plate 140 being unable to be discharged in time due to excessively small spacing, thereby affecting the reaction process. The technical effect has been verified in trial products.

[0063] See Figure 6 In some embodiments, the electrolytic deoxidation device 100 may further include a separator 130, which is disposed in the liquid storage chamber and located between the cathode composite plate 120 and the anode plate 140, and is configured to separate the cathode composite plate 120 and the anode plate 140 to prevent the electrolytic deoxidation device 100 from short-circuiting.

[0064] Because the anode plate 140 and cathode composite plate 120 have opposite polarities during electrolysis and are spaced relatively close together, the two plates can be drawn together by attraction, potentially leading to direct contact. This alters the originally designed anode-cathode spacing parameters and can also cause a short circuit. Therefore, the electrolytic deoxidation device 100 of this embodiment employs a separator 130 between the cathode composite plate 120 and the anode plate 140 to avoid this situation, thereby ensuring both the deoxidation efficiency and safety of the electrolytic deoxidation device 100.

[0065] See Figure 6 Specifically, a plurality of protrusions 132 are formed on the side of the separator 130 facing the anode plate 140. The protrusions 132 abut against the anode plate 140. The cathode composite plate 120 abuts against the side of the separator 130 facing away from the protrusions 132, thereby forming a preset gap between the cathode composite plate 120 and the anode plate 140, thereby separating the cathode composite plate 120 from the anode plate 140.

[0066] See Figures 6 to 9 , Figure 7 yes Figure 6 A magnified image of point A, Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of a support member 154 in an electrolytic deoxidation device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 9 yes Figure 8 Enlarged view of point B in the middle.

[0067] In some embodiments, the electrolytic deoxidation device 100 may further include a fixing assembly 150 . The fixing assembly 150 is disposed on the outside of the cathode composite plate 120 and is configured to fix the cathode composite plate 120 at the opening.

[0068] Specifically, the fixing assembly 150 may further include a metal frame 152 and a support member 154. The metal frame 152 is abutted against the outer side of the cathode composite plate 120, and the metal frame 152 protrudes outward to form a surrounding portion 152a. The support member 154 is arranged on the outer side of the metal frame 152, and has an outer ring 1542 and an inner ring 1544 located inside the outer ring 1542. The outer ring 1542 is fixedly connected to the shell 110, and the inner side of the inner ring 1544 is formed with a plug-in groove 1544a. The surrounding portion 152a extends into the plug-in groove 1544a to fix the metal frame 152 and the cathode composite plate 120 at the opening.

[0069] In this embodiment, the metal frame 152 is in direct contact with the cathode composite plate 120. The metal frame 152 can press the cathode composite plate 120. In addition, the metal frame 152 can also be provided with a cathode power supply terminal 152b of the cathode composite plate 120 to connect to an external power supply.

[0070] The surrounding portion 152a is formed on the metal frame 152 and extends outward to be inserted into the insertion groove 1544a of the inner ring 1544 of the support member 154, thereby positioning the metal frame 152. Since the outer ring 1542 of the support member 154 is fixedly connected to the housing 110, when the surrounding portion 152a of the metal frame 152 enters the insertion groove 1544a of the support member 154, the metal frame 152 can be fixed and positioned by the support member 154, thereby causing the metal frame 152 to press against the cathode composite plate 120.

[0071] See Figure 8 In some embodiments, reinforcing ribs 1546 are formed between the outer ring 1542 and the inner ring 1544 of the support member 154 and inside the inner ring 1544 to fix the outer ring 1542 and the inner ring 1544 of the support member 154 and shape the outer ring 1542 and the inner ring 1544 of the support member 154 to prevent them from being deformed by external forces.

[0072] When assembling the electrolytic deoxidation device 100 of this embodiment, the anode plate 140 can be first fixedly arranged in the housing 110; then the side of the separator 130 having the protrusion 132 is pressed against the anode plate 140; the cathode composite plate 120 is pressed against the other side of the separator 130 to prevent the cathode composite plate 120 from contacting the anode plate 140; then the metal frame 152 is pressed against the outside of the cathode composite plate 120, and the support member 154 is covered on the outside of the metal frame 152, so that Its outer ring 1542 is fixedly connected to the shell 110, and the surrounding portion 152a of the metal frame 152 is extended into the plug-in slot 1544a to complete positioning and fixation. Then, an adhesive (such as polyurethane PU glue, epoxy resin AB glue, etc.) is provided between the outer ring 1542 and the inner ring 1544 of the support member 154, and the area between the cathode composite plate 120 and the shell is glued to achieve the final packaging; finally, the electrolyte is added through the liquid filling port 112 on the shell 110 to complete the assembly.

[0073] 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. An electrolytic deoxidation device for separating oxygen from air flowing therethrough by electrolysis, the electrolytic deoxidation device comprising: a housing having an opening; and a cathode composite plate disposed at the opening to define, together with the housing, a liquid storage cavity for containing an electrolyte, and wherein the cathode composite plate is configured to electrolyze oxygen in the air flowing therethrough to generate negative ions, and to allow the negative ions to pass through the cathode composite plate into the electrolyte in the liquid storage cavity; The electrolytic deoxidation device also includes: an anode plate, spaced apart from the cathode composite plate, disposed in the liquid storage chamber and configured to oxidize the negative ions in the electrolyte into oxygen and discharge the oxygen out of the liquid storage chamber to separate the oxygen in the air flowing through the electrolytic deoxidation device; The anode plate and the cathode composite plate are arranged in parallel; and The distance between the anode plate and the cathode composite plate is configured to be between 5 mm and 10 mm; The electrolytic deoxidation device also includes: A separator is arranged in the liquid storage cavity and is located between the cathode composite plate and the anode plate. A plurality of protrusions are formed on the side of the separator facing the anode plate. The protrusions abut against the anode plate to separate the cathode composite plate and the anode plate to prevent the electrolytic deoxidation device from short-circuiting.

2. The electrolytic deoxidation device according to claim 1, wherein The housing is flat; and The opening is opened on a wider side surface of the shell.

3. The electrolytic deoxidation device according to claim 1, further comprising: The fixing assembly is arranged on the outer side of the cathode composite plate and is configured to fix the cathode composite plate at the opening.

4. The electrolytic deoxidation device according to claim 3, wherein the fixing assembly further comprises: A metal frame is attached to the outer side of the cathode composite plate, and the metal frame protrudes outward to form a surrounding portion; and A support member is arranged on the outside of the metal frame and has an outer ring and an inner ring located inside the outer ring. The outer ring is fixedly connected to the shell, and a plug-in groove is formed on the inner side of the inner ring. The surrounding portion extends into the plug-in groove to fix the metal frame and the cathode composite plate at the opening.

5. The electrolytic deoxidation device according to claim 4, wherein Reinforcement ribs are provided between the outer ring and the inner ring and inside the inner ring to fix the outer ring and the inner ring.

6. The electrolytic deoxidation device according to claim 1, wherein The cathode composite plate comprises a catalytic layer, a first waterproof and breathable layer, a conductive layer and a second waterproof and breathable layer which are sequentially arranged from the inside to the outside.

7. A refrigerator comprising the electrolytic deoxidation device according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

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