Air-cooled horizontal refrigerator and operation control method thereof

Abstract

This invention provides a wind-cooled horizontal freezer and its operation control method. The freezer includes: an inner liner having a stepped wall that bends upwards from the bottom wall, with a compressor compartment below the stepped wall; a cover plate installed in the inner liner, forming a refrigeration chamber with a fan and an evaporator arranged between the cover plate and the inner liner, the evaporator being arranged side-by-side with the stepped wall in the left-right direction; multiple air outlets at the top; an auxiliary air outlet at the bottom; and a control system configured to: upon receiving a compressor start command, control the compressor and fan to operate, and determine if the temperature of the storage compartment T ≥ T1; if so, the fan delivers air to the storage compartment through the multiple air outlets but not the auxiliary air outlet, until T decreases to T2, at which point the fan simultaneously delivers air to the storage compartment through both the multiple air outlets and the auxiliary air outlet; if not, the fan simultaneously delivers air to the storage compartment through both the multiple air outlets and the auxiliary air outlet; wherein, T1 > Ton, Toff < T2 < Ton.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to an air-cooled horizontal freezer and its operation control method, belonging to the field of household appliance technology. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, based on their refrigeration principles, freezers are generally divided into direct-cooling freezers and air-cooling freezers. Air-cooled horizontal freezers typically have numerous air vents; however, regardless of the freezer's operating status, these vents all supply air uniformly. This can lead to uneven temperatures throughout the freezer, causing localized overcooling or overheating. Furthermore, when the freezer reaches abnormally high temperatures, it cannot quickly lower the temperature, resulting in prolonged exposure to high temperatures that can easily cause food spoilage and negatively impact food storage quality. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to provide an air-cooled horizontal freezer and its operation control method.

[0004] To achieve the above-mentioned objective, one embodiment provides a wind-cooled horizontal freezer, comprising:

[0005] The inner liner surrounds a receiving cavity with an upward opening. The inner liner has a bottom wall that is vertically opposite to the opening and a stepped wall that bends upward from the bottom wall. Below the stepped wall is a compressor chamber that houses the compressor.

[0006] A cover plate installed in the receiving cavity divides the receiving cavity into a storage room and a refrigeration compartment located between the cover plate and the inner liner. The refrigeration compartment is equipped with a fan and an evaporator connected to the compressor. The evaporator and the stepped wall are arranged side by side in the left-right direction.

[0007] Multiple air vents located at the top of the storage room;

[0008] The auxiliary air supply vent is located at the bottom of the storage compartment;

[0009] A temperature sensor is used to sense the temperature of the storage compartment; and,

[0010] The control system is configured to: upon receiving a start command from the compressor, control the compressor to run and the fan to run, and determine whether the temperature has reached or exceeded a first temperature threshold; if so, then connect the first air supply path from the fan through the multiple air outlets to the storage room and disconnect the second air supply path from the fan through the auxiliary air outlets to the storage room, until the temperature drops to the second temperature threshold, at which point both the first and second air supply paths are simultaneously connected; if not, then connect both the first and second air supply paths.

[0011] Wherein, the first temperature threshold is higher than the power-on temperature; the second temperature threshold is higher than the power-off temperature and lower than the power-on temperature.

[0012] As a further improvement to one embodiment, the freezer also includes:

[0013] A door sensor is used to sense the opening and closing of the door at the opening.

[0014] The control system is further configured to: when the door sensor detects that the door is open during the operation of the fan, connect the first air supply path and the second air supply path, or disconnect the first air supply path and connect the second air supply path.

[0015] As a further improvement to one embodiment, the freezer also includes:

[0016] A human body sensor is used to sense human body signals within a preset area outside the freezer.

[0017] The control system is further configured to: when the human body sensor detects the human body signal during the operation of the fan, to connect the first air supply path and the second air supply path, or to disconnect the first air supply path and connect the second air supply path.

[0018] As a further improvement of one embodiment, the fan is configured as a centrifugal fan, the volute having a main air outlet, a volute tongue located at the main air outlet, and a secondary air outlet opened at the volute tongue. The volute tongue defines the minimum radius of the volute. The main air outlet is connected to the storage room via the plurality of air outlets, and the secondary air outlet is connected to the storage room via the auxiliary air outlet.

[0019] As a further improvement to one embodiment, the control system includes a first electrically operated damper movably disposed at the main air outlet to open or close the first air path and a second electrically operated damper movably disposed at the secondary air outlet to open or close the second air path.

[0020] To achieve the above-mentioned objective, one embodiment provides an operation control method for a wind-cooled horizontal freezer, the freezer comprising:

[0021] The inner liner surrounds a receiving cavity with an upward opening. The inner liner has a bottom wall that is vertically opposite to the opening and a stepped wall that bends upward from the bottom wall. Below the stepped wall is a compressor chamber that houses the compressor.

[0022] A cover plate installed in the receiving cavity divides the receiving cavity into a storage room and a refrigeration compartment located between the cover plate and the inner liner. The refrigeration compartment is equipped with a fan and an evaporator connected to the compressor. The evaporator and the stepped wall are arranged side by side in the left-right direction.

[0023] Multiple air outlets located at the upper part of the storage room and auxiliary air outlets located at the lower part of the storage room;

[0024] The method includes:

[0025] The temperature of the storage compartment is sensed;

[0026] Obtain the start command of the compressor, control the compressor to run and the fan to run, and determine whether the temperature reaches or exceeds a first temperature threshold, wherein the first temperature threshold is higher than the start-up temperature;

[0027] If so, the first air supply path from the fan through the plurality of air outlets to the storage room is opened, and the second air supply path from the fan through the auxiliary air outlet to the storage room is cut off, until the temperature drops to the second temperature threshold, at which point the first air supply path and the second air supply path are opened simultaneously; wherein, the second temperature threshold is between the shutdown temperature and the startup temperature;

[0028] If not, then the first air supply path and the second air supply path are activated.

[0029] As a further improvement to one embodiment, the method further includes:

[0030] Sensing the opening and closing of the door at the opening;

[0031] When the door is sensed to be open during the operation of the fan, the first air supply path and the second air supply path are connected, or the first air supply path is cut off and the second air supply path is connected.

[0032] As a further improvement to one embodiment, the method further includes:

[0033] Sensing human signals within a preset area outside the freezer;

[0034] When the human signal is sensed during the operation of the fan, the first air supply path and the second air supply path are connected, or the first air supply path is cut off and the second air supply path is connected.

[0035] As a further improvement of one embodiment, the fan is configured as a centrifugal fan, the volute having a main air outlet, a volute tongue located at the main air outlet, and a secondary air outlet opened at the volute tongue. The volute tongue defines the minimum radius of the volute. The main air outlet is connected to the storage room via the plurality of air outlets, and the secondary air outlet is connected to the storage room via the auxiliary air outlet.

[0036] As a further improvement to one embodiment, the control system includes a first electrically operated damper movably disposed at the main air outlet to open or close the first air path and a second electrically operated damper movably disposed at the secondary air outlet to open or close the second air path.

[0037] Compared with the prior art, one embodiment has the following beneficial effects: When the compressor is running, the air supply status of multiple air outlets and auxiliary air outlets is controlled according to whether the temperature of the storage compartment reaches a first temperature threshold. When the storage compartment is in an abnormally high temperature state, a large amount of air is discharged to the upper part of the storage compartment with a higher temperature through multiple air outlets, thereby rapidly lowering the temperature of the storage compartment from top to bottom, preventing the stored goods from being in a high temperature state for a long time and causing them to spoil. When the storage compartment is not in an abnormally high temperature state but in a normal cooling state, air is simultaneously supplied to the upper part of the storage compartment through multiple air outlets and to the lower part of the storage compartment through auxiliary air outlets, ensuring that the temperature of the storage compartment is uniform from top to bottom while improving the cooling rate and saving energy. Attached Figure Description

[0038] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of a freezer according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 2a It is along Figure 1 Cross-sectional view of line AA in the middle;

[0040] Figure 2b It is along Figure 1 Cross-sectional view of the middle BB line;

[0041] Figure 3 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of a freezer according to an embodiment of the present invention, with the outer rear wall panel and the cabinet insulation layer omitted.

[0042] Figure 4 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the inner liner, cover plate, and air duct plate according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0043] Figure 5a yes Figure 4 Exploded view of a section of the intermediate refrigeration unit;

[0044] Figure 5b yes Figure 4Another exploded view of the structure of the medium freezer section;

[0045] Figure 6 It is a three-dimensional structure diagram inside the inner liner of an embodiment of the present invention;

[0046] Figure 7a Is Figure 4 Partial sectional view along line D-D in the medium;

[0047] Figure 7b Is Figure 4 Partial sectional view along line E-E in the medium;

[0048] Figure 8 Is Figure 3 Partial sectional view along line C-C in the medium;

[0049] Figure 9a It is an exploded view of the suspension member and the fan module with the impeller omitted in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0050] Figure 9b It is another exploded view of the suspension member and the fan module with the impeller omitted in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0051] Figure 9c It is a sectional view of the volute perpendicular to the pivot axis in an embodiment of the present invention; [[ID=3,6]]

[0052] Figure 9d It is a schematic diagram of the locking part and the installation guide groove at the inner surface of the retaining plate in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0053] Figure 10 It is a three-dimensional structure diagram of the inner liner, the cover plate, the air duct plate, etc. in an embodiment of the present invention, in which an enlarged sectional view along the horizontal direction of the area selected by the dotted line box is illustrated;

[0054] Figure 11 It is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the structure of the compressor compartment in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0055] Figure 12 Is Figure 3 Partial sectional view along the vertical direction in area G in the medium. Detailed implementation manners

[0056] The following will describe the implementation manners of the present invention in detail with reference to the specific embodiments shown in the drawings. However, these embodiments do not limit the present invention, and any structural, method, or functional transformation made by those of ordinary skill in the art based on these implementation manners is included in the protection scope of the present invention.

[0057] Refer Figure 1 , this embodiment provides a freezer 100, specifically a horizontal freezer, which generally includes a cabinet 1, a door body 2, and a refrigeration system.

[0058] Reference Figure 2a , the cabinet 1 includes an inner container 11, an outer box 12, a thermal insulation layer 13 and a cabinet opening 14.

[0059] Among them, the inner container 11 is set as a box structure with an open upper part, and its wall encloses a receiving cavity 10 with an upper opening (the label is shown in Figure 5a ); the outer box 12 is set as a rectangular box structure with an open upper part, and it is sleeved outside the inner container 11. In other words, the inner container 11 is embedded inside the box shell 12. The outer box 12 and the inner container 11 are spaced apart by a certain distance to form a thermal insulation space; the thermal insulation layer 13 is filled in the thermal insulation space between the outer box 12 and the inner container 11, and it can be specifically formed by foaming a thermal insulation material such as polyurethane. Therefore, this thermal insulation layer 13 can also be called a foaming layer. Based on the thermal insulation layer 13, the cabinet 1 forms a thermal insulation cabinet that can avoid heat exchange between the inside and outside of the freezer 100; the cabinet opening 14 surrounds the upper opening of the receiving cavity 10, and it is installed at the upper edges of the inner container 11 and the outer box 12 and closes the thermal insulation space.

[0060] Refer again to Figure 1 , the door body 2 is arranged above the cabinet 1. In this embodiment, the door body 2 is set as a rotary door body, and its rear end is pivotally connected to the rear part of the cabinet 1 through a hinge structure to open or close the receiving cavity 10. That is, when the door body 2 is lifted upward by the handle 20 at the front end of the door body 2, the front end of the door body 2 pivots upward relative to the cabinet 1 to open the receiving cavity 10; on the contrary, in the open state, the front end of the door body 2 pivots downward relative to the cabinet 1, and the door body 2 can be buckled on the cabinet opening 14 of the cabinet 1 to seal and close the receiving cavity 10.

[0061] Refer to Figure 2a , in this embodiment, the door body 2 is specifically set as a thermal insulation door body, which includes a door shell 22, a door lining 21 and a thermal insulation layer 23. Among them, the door shell 22 and the door lining 21 are arranged vertically opposite, and the door shell 22 is located above the door lining 21; the door lining 21 is hermetically fitted to the cabinet opening

[0062] The refrigeration system is used to provide cold for the low-temperature storage of the freezer 100. Specifically, refer to Figure 2a and Figure 3 , the refrigeration system is constructed as a circulation loop for the refrigerant to flow, and it includes a compressor 31, a condenser 32 and an evaporator 33 that are sequentially connected along the circulation loop.

[0063] In principle, the compressor 31 is used to compress the refrigerant (such as Freon) and supply the compressed refrigerant to the condenser 32; after the refrigerant is cooled by the condenser 32, it condenses into a liquid state; subsequently, the liquid refrigerant flows into the evaporator 33 through a pipeline and vaporizes due to the release of the pressure of the compressor 31, simultaneously causing the air around the evaporator 33 to be cooled; and the vaporized refrigerant is again introduced into the compressor 31 through a pipeline and circulates in this way.

[0064] In this embodiment, the compressor 31 is arranged in the compressor chamber 120 at the lower right part of the refrigerator cabinet 100, and the compressor chamber 120 is located between the outer box 12 and the inner liner 11.

[0065] Specifically, as described above, the outer box 12 is set as a rectangular box structure with an open upper part, referring Figure 2a and Figure 2b , which includes a first wall panel 121 and a second wall panel 122 oppositely arranged in the first direction, a third wall panel 123 and a fourth wall panel 124 oppositely arranged in the second direction, and a bottom wall panel 125. In this embodiment, the bottom wall panel 125 is a flat plate placed substantially horizontally; the first direction is the front-back direction, the second direction is the left-right direction, the first wall panel 121 can also be called the front wall panel 121, the second wall panel 122 can also be called the rear wall panel 122, the third wall panel 123 can also be called the left wall panel 123, and the fourth wall panel 124 can also be called the right wall panel 124. The front wall panel 121, the rear wall panel 122, the left wall panel 123, and the right wall panel 124 respectively vertically extend upward perpendicular to the bottom wall panel 125 from the front edge, rear edge, left edge, and right edge of the bottom wall panel 125.

[0066] Referring Figure 3 , the box body 1 further includes a compressor chamber cover plate 15, and the compressor chamber cover plate 15 and the outer box 12 jointly enclose the compressor chamber 120. Specifically, the compressor chamber cover plate 15 is located between the outer box 12 and the inner liner 11 and is fixedly installed on the inner side of the outer box 12.

[0067] The compressor chamber cover plate 15 includes a compressor chamber top cover plate 151 and a compressor chamber side cover plate 152. The front edge of both the compressor chamber top cover plate 151 and the compressor chamber side cover plate 152 is fixedly installed on the front wall panel 121, and the rear edge of both is fixedly installed on the rear wall panel 122; and, the compressor chamber top cover plate 151 is located above the compressor chamber 120, which defines the upper boundary of the compressor chamber 120, and the right edge of the compressor chamber top cover plate 151 is fixedly installed on the right wall panel 124; while the compressor chamber side cover plate 152 is located on the left side of the compressor chamber 120, which defines the left boundary of the compressor chamber 120, and the compressor chamber side cover plate 152 extends downward from the left edge of the compressor chamber top cover plate 151 until the lower edge is fixedly connected to the bottom wall panel 125.

[0068] In this embodiment, the press chamber cover 15 and the outer box 12 together enclose the press chamber 120 located in the lower right part of the box body 1. In a variant embodiment, as the orientation of the press chamber 120 changes, the orientation relationship between the press chamber cover 15 and the outer box 12 changes accordingly. For example, if the press chamber 120 is located in the lower rear part of the box body 1, the press chamber top cover 151 extends forward from the rear wall panel 122, and so on.

[0069] The outer casing 12 is also provided with a heat dissipation vent 1201. The compressor compartment 120 is connected to the external environment of the freezer 100 through the heat dissipation vent 1201 to dissipate the hot air generated by the compressor 31 in the compressor compartment 120, thereby achieving heat dissipation of the compressor 31.

[0070] The condenser 32, like the compressor compartment 120, also requires heat dissipation. In this embodiment, it is wrapped around the inside of the outer casing 12, specifically by attaching it to the inner surface of the outer casing 12 with tape. The condenser 32 and the inner liner 11 are always separated by the insulation layer 13. This allows for rapid heat dissipation of the condenser 32 and prevents the heat from the condenser 32 from affecting the housing cavity 10. In a variant embodiment, the condenser 32 can also be arranged inside the compressor compartment 120 for centralized heat dissipation with the compressor 31. Any existing feasible heat dissipation method can be used, which will not be elaborated further.

[0071] Furthermore, the inner liner 11, as described above, is configured as a box-type structure with an open upper section. Figure 2a , Figure 2b and Figure 4 Its gallbladder wall includes lateral walls 111, 112, 113, 114, bottom wall 115, and step wall 116.

[0072] In this embodiment, the bottom wall 115 is a flat plate placed horizontally; the side walls 111, 112, 113, and 114 are all located above the bottom wall 115 and extend approximately vertically; the side walls 111 and 112 are arranged opposite each other along a first direction, and the side walls 113 and 114 are arranged opposite each other along a second direction; as mentioned above, the first direction is the front-back direction, and the second direction is the left-right direction, so the side wall 111 can also be called the front side wall 111, the side wall 112 can also be called the rear side wall 112, the side wall 113 can also be called the left side wall 113, and the side wall 114 can also be called the right side wall 114.

[0073] The stepped wall 116 is formed by bending upwards from the bottom wall 115, thus creating a stepped structure at the bottom of the receiving cavity 10 instead of a complete plane. Below the stepped wall 116 is the compressor compartment 120. It can be seen that the stepped wall 116 is basically arranged to allow space for the compressor compartment 120, thereby optimizing the structure of the freezer 100 and increasing the space utilization of the freezer 100.

[0074] In this embodiment, the stepped wall 116 is formed in the lower right part of the inner liner 11 to adapt to the position of the press chamber 120. Of course, if the position of the press chamber 120 is changed from the lower right part of the box 1 shown in the figure to other positions, such as the lower left part, middle part, or lower rear part of the box 1, the position of the stepped wall 116 will be changed from the lower right part of the inner liner 11 to other positions, such as the lower left part, middle part, or lower rear part of the inner liner 11.

[0075] More specifically, the stepped wall 116 includes a stepped top wall 1161 and a stepped side wall 1162. The lower edge of the stepped side wall 1162 is connected to the bottom wall 115 of the inner liner 11, and extends vertically upward from the right edge of the bottom wall 115 perpendicular to the bottom wall 115. The stepped top wall 1161 is approximately perpendicular to the stepped side wall 1162 and parallel to the bottom wall 115. Furthermore, the stepped top wall 1161 extends to the right from the upper edge of the stepped side wall 1162 until it is perpendicularly connected to the lower edge of the right side wall 114 of the inner liner 11. In this embodiment, the stepped wall 116 is arranged in a right-angled structure, but this is not a limitation. For example, in a variation embodiment, the stepped top wall 1161 and the stepped side wall 1162 may be arranged at an obtuse angle or an acute angle, and the stepped wall 116 may also be a fully curved panel without a clear boundary line.

[0076] In this embodiment, the evaporator 33 is arranged inside the receiving cavity 10, and the freezer 100 is configured as an air-cooled freezer. Thus, the freezer 100 in this embodiment has the advantage of being frost-free and facilitates the maintenance of the evaporator 33. Specifically, the freezer 100 includes a cover plate 4 disposed in the receiving cavity 10. The cover plate 4 connects to the inner liner 11 and divides the receiving cavity 10 into a storage compartment 10a and a refrigeration compartment 10b. The storage compartment 10a can be used for low-temperature food storage. Items in the storage compartment 10a can be accessed by opening and closing the receiving cavity 10 through the door 2. The refrigeration compartment 10b is located between the cover plate 4 and the inner liner 11 and is used to house the evaporator 33. Thus, when the refrigeration system is running, i.e., when the compressor 31 starts, the refrigerant in the evaporator 33 exchanges heat with the air in the refrigeration compartment 10b, forming cold air in the refrigeration compartment 10b. This cold air can then be sent into the storage compartment 10a through the air duct described later, thereby maintaining the low-temperature environment of the storage compartment 10a.

[0077] Preferably, the evaporator 33 and the stepped wall 116 are arranged side by side in the left-right direction. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the stepped wall 116 is located at the lower right part of the inner liner 11, and the evaporator 33 is correspondingly located to the left of the stepped wall 116, that is, between the stepped wall 116 and the left side wall 113. Of course, in a variant embodiment, if the stepped wall 116 is located at the lower left part of the inner liner 11, the evaporator 33 is correspondingly located to the right of the stepped wall 116, or if the stepped wall 116 is located at the bottom center of the inner liner 11, the evaporator 33 can be located either to the right or to the left of the stepped wall 116. In this way, by arranging the evaporator 33 and the stepped wall 116 side by side in the left-right direction, the volume ratio of the freezer 100 can be greatly improved compared to the prior art.

[0078] Adapted to the position of the evaporator 33, at least a portion of the refrigeration chamber 10b is arranged side-by-side with the stepped wall 116 in the left-right direction. In the preferred embodiment shown in the drawings, the refrigeration chamber 10b is arranged adjacent to the stepped wall 116, and correspondingly, the refrigeration chamber 10b is formed between the cover plate 4 and the stepped wall 116.

[0079] Specifically, refer to Figure 5a The cover plate 4 includes a side cover plate 42 extending vertically upwards perpendicular to the bottom wall 115 and a top cover plate 41 extending horizontally to the right from the upper edge of the side cover plate 42. The side cover plate 42 and the top cover plate 41 are approximately perpendicular, and the right edge of the top cover plate 41 is connected to the stepped wall 116. Thus, the side cover plate 42 defines the left boundary of the refrigeration compartment 10b, the stepped side wall 116 defines the right boundary of the refrigeration compartment 10b, the bottom wall 115 defines the lower boundary of the refrigeration compartment 10b, and the top cover plate 41 defines the upper boundary of the refrigeration compartment 10b. Thus, in this preferred embodiment, by arranging the refrigeration compartment 10b adjacent to the stepped wall 116, the volume ratio of the freezer 100 can be greatly improved, facilitating the storage of items. Furthermore, by placing the refrigeration compartment 10b near the compressor compartment 120, the piping layout of the refrigeration system is optimized, improving refrigeration efficiency and reducing refrigerant flow noise. It is understood that, in a variant embodiment, the refrigeration compartment 10b may be moved further to the left from the illustrated position and away from the step wall 116, so that a part of the storage room 10a may be formed between the refrigeration compartment 10b and the step wall 116.

[0080] Furthermore, the front edge of the cover plate 4 abuts against the front side wall 111 of the inner liner 11, and its rear edge abuts against the rear side wall 112 of the inner liner 11. Thus, in addition to the cover plate 4 and the stepped wall 116, the refrigeration compartment 10b is also defined by the front side wall 111 and the rear side wall 112, that is, the front side wall 111 defines the front boundary of the refrigeration compartment 10b, and the rear side wall 112 defines the rear boundary of the refrigeration compartment 10b. This arrangement helps to increase the volume ratio of the freezer 100, facilitates the placement of stored items in the storage compartment 10a, and is more conducive to improving the air supply of the freezer 100.

[0081] As mentioned earlier, the cabinet opening 14 is installed at the upper edge of the inner liner 11. Figure 2b It has a rim extending from the top of the inner liner 11 to the inside of the inner liner 11, specifically including a rear rim 142 located inside the rear sidewall 112 and a front rim 141 located inside the front sidewall 111. The distance between the front rim 141 and the rear rim 142 in the front-rear direction is less than the width of the receiving cavity 10 in the front-rear direction, that is, less than the distance between the front sidewall 111 and the rear sidewall 112 in the front-rear direction.

[0082] In response, Figure 5b The cover plate 4 includes a front cover plate portion 4a and a rear cover plate portion 4b. The front edge of the front cover plate portion 4a contacts the front sidewall 111, and the rear edge of the rear cover plate portion 4b contacts the rear sidewall 112. The front cover plate portion 4a and the rear cover plate portion 4b are separately arranged, and the width of each in the front-rear direction is not greater than the distance between the front edge 141 and the rear edge 142 in the front-rear direction. In this way, by dividing the cover plate 4 into the front cover plate portion 4a and the rear cover plate portion 4b separately arranged in the front-rear direction, when the cover plate 4 is installed into or removed from the receiving cavity 10, the front cover plate portion 4a and the rear cover plate portion 4b are installed and removed separately without being interfered with by the cabinet opening 14. This facilitates the installation and removal of the cover plate 4, avoids the cover plate 4 scratching the inner liner 11 or the cabinet opening 14, and can also be removed without removing the cabinet opening 14, thereby facilitating the maintenance and replacement of the internal components of the refrigeration compartment 10b.

[0083] Preferably, the reference Figure 2b and Figure 5b The rear end edge of the front cover plate 4a forms a stepped structure 4a1 that is recessed toward the refrigeration compartment 10b. Specifically, for the top cover plate 41, the stepped structure 4a1 at the rear end edge of the top cover plate 41 is recessed downwards, and for the side cover plate 42, the stepped structure 4a1 at the rear end edge of the side cover plate 42 is recessed to the right. The front end edge of the rear cover plate 4b is pressed against the stepped structure 4a1. This enhances the installation firmness of the cover plate 4. Of course, in a variant embodiment, the stepped structure 4a1 can also be formed at the front end edge of the rear cover plate 4b, while the rear end edge of the front cover plate 4a is pressed against the front end edge of the rear cover plate 4b.

[0084] In this embodiment, the provision of the stepped structure 4a1 can also enable the front cover part 4a and the rear cover part 4b to be smoothly butted, and the top cover plate 41 is coplanar on the front cover part 4a and on the rear cover part 4b, and the side cover plate 42 is also coplanar on the front cover part 4a and on the rear cover part 4b. In this way, the flatness of the outer surface of the cover plate 4 (i.e., the surface facing the storage compartment 10a) can be optimized, the aesthetic appearance can be improved, and dirt accumulation due to uneven joints can be avoided.

[0085] Refer Figures 2a to 5b , the refrigerator 100 further includes a heat-insulating cover plate 43 arranged in the refrigeration compartment 10b. The heat-insulating cover plate 43 is closely attached to the surface of the cover plate 4 facing the refrigeration compartment 10b, and covers the evaporator 33 from above and on the left, so as to prevent the cold air at the evaporator 33 from directly passing through the cover plate 4 into the storage space 10a. Preferably, the joint between the front cover part 4a and the rear cover part 4b fits inside the surface of the heat-insulating cover plate 43, that is, the heat-insulating cover plate 43 extends from the surface of the front cover part 4a without interruption to the surface of the rear cover part 4b. In this way, the joint between the front cover part 4a and the rear cover part 4b is shielded by the heat-insulating cover plate 43, so as to prevent the cold air at the evaporator 33 from flowing into the storage space 10a through the joint between the front cover part 4a and the rear cover part 4b.

[0086] Furthermore, refer Figures 4 to 7b , the edge of the cover plate 4 is assembled and connected to the wall of the inner container 11 through a fastening mechanism. The embodiment in the figure shows the fastening mechanism at the right end edge of the top cover plate 41 and at the lower end edge of the side cover plate 42. Of course, it can be understood that the front edge, the rear edge of the top cover plate 41, the front edge, and the rear edge of the side cover plate 42 can all be assembled and connected to the wall of the inner container 11 through the fastening mechanism and with the same structural design.

[0087] Taking the right end edge of the top cover plate 41 and the lower end edge of the side cover plate 42 as examples, the assembly structure of the edge of the cover plate 4 and the wall of the inner container 11 in this embodiment will be introduced below.

[0088] Specifically, refer Figures 6 to 7b , the fastening mechanism includes a sheet metal bracket 44, a first screw 481, and a second screw 482.

[0089] The sheet metal bracket 44 is located in the refrigeration compartment 10b, and includes a cover plate support plate 442 parallel to the edge of the cover plate 4 and an inner liner support plate 441 parallel to the wall of the inner liner 11. The cover plate support plate 442 and the inner liner support plate 441 are fixedly connected, and preferably both are integrally formed sheet metal parts. The cover plate support plate 442 is fastened to the edge of the cover plate 4 by a second screw 482, and the inner liner support plate 441 is fastened to the wall of the inner liner 11 by a first screw 481. Thus, by setting the sheet metal bracket 44 in the refrigeration compartment 10b and using the sheet metal bracket 44 as an intermediary to achieve a tight connection between the edge of the cover plate 4 and the inner liner 11 wall, the connection strength can be enhanced. On the other hand, the edge of the cover plate 4 does not need to be provided with a flange protruding into the storage compartment 10a, avoiding problems such as poor aesthetics, poor flatness, and difficulty in cleaning caused by the flange. Furthermore, the setting of the fastening mechanism reduces the processing difficulty of the inner liner 11 and makes the installation of the cover plate 4 quick and convenient.

[0090] Specifically, taking the lower edge of the side cover plate 42 as an example: (See...) Figure 7b The sheet metal bracket 44 is located at the lower left of the refrigeration compartment 10b. Its cover support plate 442 is parallel to the lower edge of the side cover plate 42 and vertically upward to the bottom wall 115. The cover support plate 442 is fastened to the lower edge of the side cover plate 42 by a second screw 482. Correspondingly, its inner liner support plate 441 is parallel to the bottom wall 115 connected to the lower edge of the side cover plate 42 and is horizontally arranged. The inner liner support plate 441 is fastened to the bottom wall 115 by a first screw 481. In this way, the lower edge of the side cover plate 42 does not need to be provided with a flange that protrudes horizontally to the left into the storage compartment 10a, avoiding unevenness in the area of ​​the bottom wall 115 close to the lower edge of the side cover plate 42.

[0091] Taking the right edge of the top cover plate 41 as an example: (See...) Figure 7a The sheet metal bracket 44 is located at the upper right of the refrigeration compartment 10b. Its cover support plate 442 is parallel to the right edge of the top cover plate 41 and is horizontally set. The cover support plate 442 is fastened to the right edge of the top cover plate 41 by the second screw 482. Correspondingly, its inner liner support plate 441 is parallel to the step side wall 1162 that is connected to the right edge of the top cover plate 41 and extends approximately vertically. The inner liner support plate 441 is fastened to the step side wall 1162 by the first screw 481.

[0092] Furthermore, the inner liner 11 includes a first liner wall portion for enclosing the refrigeration compartment 10b and a second liner wall portion for enclosing the storage compartment 10a. As described above, in this embodiment, the first liner wall portion includes a stepped sidewall 1162, the lower right portion of the front sidewall 111, the lower right portion of the rear sidewall 112, and the right end of the bottom wall 115; the second liner wall portion is the remaining liner wall portion of the inner liner 11 excluding the stepped sidewall 1162, the lower right portion of the front sidewall 111, the lower right portion of the rear sidewall 112, and the right end of the bottom wall 115. In this embodiment, the inner liner support plate 441 is fastened to the first liner wall portion by a first screw 481, and the cover plate support plate 442 protrudes from the inner liner support plate 441 into the refrigeration compartment 10b, thereby placing the sheet metal bracket 44 inside the refrigeration compartment 10b.

[0093] Specifically, the inner liner 11 wall (specifically the first liner wall portion) is provided with a first mounting hole that matches the first screw 481, and the inner liner support plate 441 is provided with a second mounting hole that matches the first screw 481. Thus, by placing the first screw 481 in the first mounting hole on the inner liner 11 wall and the second mounting hole on the inner liner support plate 441, a fixed connection between the inner liner support plate 441 and the inner liner 11 wall is achieved.

[0094] Preferably, a fixing cap 45 with a threaded hole is provided on the outer side of the inner liner 11. The fixing cap 45 is preferably a plastic part. The tail of the first screw 481 passes through the second mounting hole on the inner liner support plate 441 and the first mounting hole on the inner liner wall 11 in sequence on the side of the receiving cavity 10, and is then screwed into the fixing cap 45.

[0095] The fixing cap 45 is embedded in the insulation layer 13, meaning that the fixing cap 45 is installed on the outside of the inner liner 11 before the insulation layer 13 is formed by foaming. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the end of the fixing cap 45 away from the inner liner 11 wall is designated as a blind end, meaning the threaded hole in the fixing cap 45 is a blind hole with an open inner end and a closed outer end. In this way, the fixing cap 45, while cooperating with the first screw 481 to lock the inner liner support plate 441 and the inner liner 11 wall, prevents the foaming material from overflowing into the receiving cavity 10 through the threaded hole of the fixing cap 45 during the molding of the insulation layer 13.

[0096] Furthermore, the edge of the cover plate 4 is provided with a third mounting hole that matches the second screw 482, and the cover plate support plate 442 is provided with a threaded hole 4420 that matches the second screw 482. Thus, after the tail of the second screw 482 passes through the third mounting hole on the storage compartment 10a side, it is screwed into the threaded hole 4420 to achieve a fixed connection between the edge of the cover plate 4 and the cover plate support plate 442.

[0097] Preferably, the reference Figure 5b , 7aAlong with 7b, the cover plate 4 has a recessed mounting groove 460 on its edge, facing away from the storage compartment 10b. The third mounting hole is formed in the bottom wall 461 of the mounting groove 460, meaning the third mounting hole penetrates the bottom wall 461 of the groove both inside and out. The head of the second screw 482 is accommodated in the mounting groove 460, which enhances the aesthetics.

[0098] Furthermore, the freezer 100 also includes a decorative cover 470, which is fitted onto the surface of the edge of the cover plate 4 and covers the mounting groove 460. Preferably, the surface of the decorative cover 470 facing the storage compartment 10a is substantially flush with the edge of the cover plate 4. The decorative cover 470 has a claw 470, and the peripheral wall 462 of the mounting groove 460 has a slot 4601. The claw 470 is engaged in the slot 4601 to prevent the decorative cover 470 from detaching from the cover plate 4. Through the cooperation of the claw 470 and the slot 4601, the decorative cover 470 can be quickly assembled.

[0099] Furthermore, as mentioned above, in this embodiment, the freezer 100 is implemented as an air-cooled freezer, which includes an air duct for connecting the storage compartment 10a and the refrigeration compartment 10b, and a blower 60 (see reference numerals) for driving airflow. Figure 2b ).

[0100] Preferably, the reference Figure 2a and Figure 2b The air duct includes an air supply duct 510, a return air duct 520, multiple air supply outlets 5101, and return air outlets 5201. The air supply duct 510 is used to introduce air from the refrigeration chamber 10b, meaning air flows from the refrigeration chamber 10b to the air supply duct 510. The multiple air supply outlets 5101 are exposed in the storage compartment 10a, connecting the air supply duct 510 to the storage compartment 10a. The return air duct 520 returns air to the refrigeration chamber 10b, meaning air flows from the return air duct 520 to the refrigeration chamber 10b. The return air outlets 5201 are exposed in the storage compartment 10a, connecting the storage compartment 10a to the return air duct 520. When the refrigeration system is running, driven by the fan 60 (which is in operation at this time), the cold air in the refrigeration chamber 10b enters the air supply duct 510 until it enters the storage chamber 10a through the air supply port 5101. Then, the air in the storage chamber 10a enters the return air duct 520 through the return air port 5201 and finally returns to the refrigeration chamber 10b from the return air duct 520. This cycle repeats to achieve the cooling of the storage chamber 10a.

[0101] In this embodiment, the width of the storage compartment 10a in the front-to-back direction is much smaller than its width in the left-to-right direction. The air supply vent 5101 is located at the upper front of the storage compartment 10a, and the return air vent 5201 is located at the rear of the storage compartment 10a. Thus, when the refrigeration system is running, driven by the fan 60, the air supply vent 5101 is located at the upper front of the storage compartment 10a, and the return air vent 5201 is located at the rear of the storage compartment 10a. Therefore, when the refrigeration system is running, driven by the fan 60, the air supply vent 5101 is located at the upper front of the storage compartment 10a. Figure 2bAs indicated by the middle arrow, air in the air supply duct 510 enters the upper front part of the storage compartment 10a through the air supply port 5101. Then, the cold air flows backward from the upper front part of the storage compartment 10a to the rear, until it enters the return air duct 520 through the return air port 5201. Thus, in this embodiment, by setting the upper front part of the storage compartment 10a to supply air and the rear part to return air, the cooling effect of the storage compartment 10a can be enhanced. The cooling efficiency is improved by avoiding the air supply vent 5101 and return vent 5201 being too far apart, which would cause poor cold air flow and reduce the temperature difference in various parts of the storage compartment 10a. On the other hand, when the front of the door 2 is pivoted upward to open the storage compartment 10a, the air blown out from the air supply vent 5101 flows from the front to the rear of the storage compartment 10a, thus forming a front-to-back air curtain at the upper opening of the storage compartment 10a. This prevents a large amount of hot air from the outside environment from entering the storage compartment 10a and causing drastic temperature fluctuations. Moreover, this air curtain will not blow towards the user in front of the freezer 100, avoiding user discomfort. At the same time, when the cold air from this air curtain blows towards the rear of the freezer 100, it will be blocked by the door 2 and enter the storage compartment 10a, preventing cold air loss and reducing the energy consumption of the freezer 100.

[0102] Furthermore, multiple air supply vents 5101 are positioned near the upper opening of the storage compartment 10a. These vents 5101 are arranged sequentially in the left-right direction and at the same vertical height, meaning they are approximately located at the same height of the freezer 100. Multiple return air vents 5201 are positioned near the bottom of the storage compartment 10a and are arranged sequentially in the left-right direction. This creates an airflow from the upper front to the lower rear within the storage compartment 10a, which helps maintain the cooling rate and temperature uniformity throughout the storage compartment 10a.

[0103] In this embodiment, multiple air supply outlets 5101 and multiple return air outlets 5201 are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence. Specifically, the number of air supply outlets 5101 and return air outlets 5201 is set to be the same, with five in the example shown in the figure. The multiple air supply outlets 5101 are equidistantly distributed in the left-right direction. Similarly, the multiple return air outlets 5201 are also equidistantly distributed in the left-right direction, and the distance between two adjacent air supply outlets 5101 is equal to the distance between two adjacent return air outlets 5201. Thus, if the return air outlets 5201 in this embodiment are at the same height as the air supply outlets 5101, then the return air outlets 5201 and their corresponding air supply outlets 5101 will be directly opposite each other. Of course, in variant embodiments, the multiple air supply outlets 5101 and multiple return air outlets 5201 are not limited to a one-to-one correspondence.

[0104] Preferably, the reference Figure 2bEach air outlet 5101 is inclined upward from the air supply duct 510 toward the storage room 10a. In this way, the air in the air supply duct 510 is blown obliquely upward into the storage room 10a from the air outlet 5101. When the door 2 is closed, the air can move backward and downward along the door 2, which can further ensure the temperature balance in the storage room 10a. When the door 2 is open, the air is blown obliquely upward toward the door 2, which can form the aforementioned air curtain and also prevent condensation on the door 2.

[0105] In detail, the freezer 100 includes an air supply cover 53 that defines an air outlet 5101. The air supply cover 53 has an upper guide plate 532 defining the upper boundary of the air outlet 5101 and a lower guide plate 531 defining the lower boundary of the air outlet 5101. Both the upper guide plate 532 and the lower guide plate 531 are configured to slope upwards from the air supply duct 510 towards the storage compartment 10a. Thus, when air flows through the air outlet 5101, it is guided upwards by the upper guide plate 532 and the lower guide plate 531 and blown into the storage compartment 10a. Of course, in alternative embodiments, only the upper guide plate 532 or only the lower guide plate 531 may be provided, thus defining the air outlet 5101 that slopes upwards from the air supply duct 510 towards the storage compartment 10a.

[0106] Preferably, the freezer 100 includes a control system and a door sensor. The door sensor is used to sense the open and closed states of the door 2, and can be specifically configured as a distance sensor, pressure sensor, and touch sensor, etc. The control system is connected to the door sensor and the fan 60. When the door sensor senses that the door 2 is open, the control system controls the fan 60 to run to drive air to circulate along the refrigeration chamber 10b, the air supply duct 510, the storage compartment 10a, and the return air duct 520, thereby forming the aforementioned air curtain blown out from the air supply vent 5101 when the door 2 is open.

[0107] In this embodiment, the freezer 100 further includes an air duct plate for defining the air duct. Specifically, the air duct plate may include an air supply duct plate 51 for defining the air supply duct 510 and a return air duct plate 52 for defining the return air duct 520.

[0108] The air supply duct plate 51 is fastened to the front side wall 111, and the air supply duct plate 51 and the front side wall 111 together form an air supply duct 510. The air supply duct 510 and the cooling chamber 10b meet at the front side wall 111. Thus, the cold air in the cooling chamber 10b enters the air supply duct 510 at the front side wall 111, and then flows along the air supply duct 510 (i.e., between the front side wall 111 and the air supply duct plate 51) to the air outlet 5101.

[0109] The return air duct plate 52 is fastened to the rear side wall 112, and the return air duct plate 52 and the rear side wall 112 together form the return air duct 520; the return air duct 520 and the refrigeration chamber 10b meet at the rear side wall 112, so that the air entering the return air duct 520 from the return air inlet 5201 flows along the return air duct 520 (i.e., between the rear side wall 112 and the return air duct plate 52) until it returns to the refrigeration chamber 10b at the rear side wall 112.

[0110] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the inner liner 11 is configured as a metal inner liner, see reference. Figure 5a and Figure 5b The inner liner 10a has ventilation openings 1121 and 1111 and channel openings 1112 and 1122, all of which penetrate the inner wall of the inner liner 11. The duct plate is fastened to the outer surface of the inner liner 11, forming a duct that connects to the cooling compartment 10b via channel openings 1112 and 1122, and to the storage compartment 10a via ventilation openings 1121 and 1111. This arrangement allows the foaming mold for the air-cooled freezer 100 in this embodiment to be compatible with the foaming mold for direct-cooling freezers, preventing deformation of the inner liner 11 during the foaming process. This increases the versatility of the foaming mold and reduces production costs.

[0111] The ventilation opening 1111 is located on the front sidewall 111 and extends through the front sidewall 111 internally and externally, corresponding to the air supply vent 5101. Specifically, the air supply cover 53 is fastened outward from the receiving cavity 10 to the ventilation opening 1111, thus the air supply vent 5101 is formed in the air supply cover 53. The ventilation opening 1121 is located on the rear sidewall 112 and extends through the rear sidewall 112 internally and externally, corresponding to the return air vent 5201. Specifically, the return air cover 54 is fastened to the ventilation opening 1121, and the return air vent 5201 is formed in the return air cover 54. Thus, in this preferred embodiment, the arrangement of the return air cover 54 and the air supply cover 53, on the one hand, can guide the airflow direction at the air supply vent 5101 as described above without increasing the processing difficulty of the inner liner 11; on the other hand, it can enhance the aesthetics of the storage compartment 10a. Of course, in alternative embodiments, the air supply cover 53 can be removed, in which case the ventilation opening 1111 becomes the air supply outlet 5101; or, the return air cover 54 can be removed, in which case the ventilation opening 1121 becomes the return air outlet 5201.

[0112] In addition, the channel opening 1112 is provided on the front side wall 111 and runs through the front side wall 111 inside and out, so that the air supply duct 510 and the cooling chamber 10b meet at the front side wall 111; while the channel opening 1122 is provided on the rear side wall 112 and runs through the rear side wall 112 inside and out, so that the return air duct 520 and the cooling chamber 10b meet at the rear side wall 112.

[0113] Furthermore, the air supply duct plate 51 is fastened to the outer surface of the front side wall 111, correspondingly, refer to Figure 5b The front sidewall 111 includes an air duct region 111a and a non-air duct region 111b connected to the air duct region 111a. The air duct region 111a is covered by an air supply duct plate 51, forming an air supply duct 510 between the air duct region 111a and the inner surface of the air supply duct plate 51. Ventilation openings 1111 and channel openings 1112 are formed in the air duct region 111a, and the outer surface of the air supply duct plate 51 is in close contact with the insulation layer 13. The intersection line between the air duct region 111a and the non-air duct region 111b is approximately as shown in the figure. Figure 5b As shown by the dashed line 51a, the dashed line 51a is basically consistent with the four edges of the air supply duct plate 51, and the outer surface of the non-air duct area 111b is in close contact with the insulation layer 13.

[0114] Similarly, the return air duct plate 52 is fastened to the outer surface of the rear side wall 112, and correspondingly, refer to Figure 5a The rear sidewall 112 includes a duct area 112a and a non-duct area 112b connected to the duct area 112a. The duct area 112a is covered by a return air duct plate 52, forming a return air duct 520 between the duct area 112a and the inner surface of the return air duct plate 52. Ventilation openings 1121 and channel openings 1122 are formed in the duct area 112a, and the outer surface of the return air duct plate 52 is in close contact with the insulation layer 13. The intersection line between the duct area 112a and the non-duct area 112b is approximately as shown in the figure. Figure 5a As shown by the dashed line 52a, the dashed line 52a is basically consistent with the four edges of the return air duct plate 52, and the outer surface of the non-duct area 112b is in close contact with the insulation layer 13.

[0115] Thus, in the manufacturing process of the freezer 100, after the air supply duct plate 51 is fastened to the front side wall 111 and the return air duct plate 52 is fastened to the rear side wall 112, the insulation layer 13 is formed by foaming. The extrusion pressure during foaming will enhance the assembly strength of the air supply duct plate 51 and the inner liner 11, and the return air duct plate 52 and the inner liner 11.

[0116] Furthermore, in this embodiment, except for the assembly seam of the front sidewall 111 itself, the air duct area 111a and the non-air duct area 111b are basically arranged in a coplanar manner; similarly, except for the assembly seam of the rear sidewall 112 itself, the air duct area 112a and the non-air duct area 112b are also basically arranged in a coplanar manner. Thus, the front sidewall 111 and the rear sidewall 112 have high flatness, eliminating the need to design the air duct areas 111a and 112a as uneven areas on the front sidewall 111 and the rear sidewall 112, reducing the processing difficulty of the inner liner 11.

[0117] Preferably, the reference Figures 3 to 5b Both the supply air duct plate 51 and the return air duct plate 52 have flat flanges 50 on their four edges. These flanges 50 seal against the outer surface of the inner liner 11. Specifically, the flanges 50 on the supply air duct plate 51 fit against the outer surface of the front sidewall 111, and the flanges 50 on the return air duct plate 52 fit against the outer surface of the rear sidewall 112. (See reference...) Figure 8 In this embodiment, the flange 50 and the inner liner 11 are fixedly connected by countersunk screws 55. Thus, the countersunk screws 55 enhance the connection strength between the air duct plate and the inner liner 11, and facilitate the positioning of the air duct plate during assembly onto the inner liner 11.

[0118] Although only through the attached diagram Figure 8 The location of the countersunk screw 55 between the flange 50 on the return air duct plate 52 and the rear sidewall 112 is shown. It can be understood that, in this embodiment, the structure of the countersunk screw 55 between the flange 50 on the supply air duct plate 51 and the front sidewall 111 is similar. Figure 8 The same applies as shown in the image, and will not be distinguished further in this article.

[0119] Preferably, the countersunk screws 55 are only located on the first inner wall portion. That is, the flange 50 is fixedly connected to the first inner wall portion by the countersunk screws 55, while the flange 50 is not fixedly connected to the second inner wall portion by the countersunk screws 55. Instead, they can be connected by adhesive foam, for example, by providing adhesive foam on the inner surface of the flange 50 to adhere and fix it to the second inner wall portion. In this way, when the cover plate 4 is installed in the receiving cavity 10, the countersunk screws 55 will not be exposed in the storage compartment 10a, enhancing the aesthetics of the freezer 100 and preventing dirt and grime from accumulating in the storage compartment 10a.

[0120] Furthermore, participants Figure 5a and Figure 8In this embodiment, the inner liner 11 is provided with a countersunk hole 561 that is concave inward and convex outward. The countersunk hole 561 penetrates the first liner wall portion of the inner liner 11 and is located within the refrigeration compartment 10b. It is concave from the inner surface of the inner liner 11 and convex from the outer surface of the inner liner 11. Matching the countersunk hole 561, the inner surface of the flange 50 (i.e., the side close to the inner liner 11) is provided with a recessed fastening hole 562. The fastening hole 562 is concave from the inner surface of the flange 50, and the countersunk hole 561 is embedded in the fastening hole 562. The tip of the countersunk screw 55 passes through the countersunk hole 561 and engages with the fastening hole 562, while the head of the countersunk screw 55 is embedded in the countersunk hole 561. Thus, while the countersunk screw 55 fixes the flange 50 and the inner liner 11, the countersunk hole 561 is equivalent to a positioning protrusion, and the fastening hole 562 is equivalent to a positioning groove. The two work together to position the air duct plate and the inner liner 11, which facilitates the rapid assembly of the freezer 100.

[0121] Of course, in a variation embodiment, the countersunk hole 561 can be changed to an inner and outer through flange 50 with an outer concave and inner convex shape, and the corresponding fastening hole 562 can be changed to be recessed into the outer surface of the inner liner 11; or, other separate positioning grooves and positioning protrusions embedded in the positioning grooves can be provided to position the air duct plate and the inner liner 11.

[0122] Furthermore, such as Figure 8 As shown, the fastening hole 562 is configured as a blind hole structure separated from the outer surface of the flange 50. That is, the fastening hole 562 is recessed from the inner surface of the flange 50 away from the inner liner 11, but does not penetrate the outer surface of the flange 50. The tip of the countersunk screw 55 is disposed in the blind hole structure, and they can be fastened to each other by threads. In this way, after the air duct plate is fixedly installed by the countersunk screw 55, during the process of forming the insulation layer 13 by foaming, the fastening hole 562 is configured as a blind hole structure instead of a through hole, which can prevent the foaming material from overflowing into the inner liner 11 through the fastening hole 562.

[0123] Furthermore, the fastening hole 562 is provided with a flared opening whose inner diameter gradually decreases from the inside to the outside. The countersunk hole 561 is embedded in the flared opening. In this way, when the countersunk screw 55 fastens the air duct plate and the inner liner 11, the countersunk hole 561 can gradually press the flared opening of the fastening hole 562 to enhance the strength of the connection structure.

[0124] In one embodiment, the reference Figure 4The side cover plate 42 has an auxiliary air outlet 421, which is exposed in the storage compartment 10a. The refrigeration compartment 10b is connected to the storage compartment 10a through the auxiliary air outlet 421. Thus, driven by the fan 60 (which is currently running), cold air from the refrigeration compartment 10b can enter the storage compartment 10a through the auxiliary air outlet 421, thereby cooling the storage compartment 10a. In combination with the aforementioned air outlet 5101, the storage compartment 10a can receive air both through the multiple front air outlets 5101 and through the side auxiliary air outlet 421, achieving bidirectional air intake and facilitating temperature uniformity in the storage compartment 10a.

[0125] Furthermore, the aforementioned multiple air outlets 5101 are vertically higher than the auxiliary air outlet 421, which is specifically located at the bottom of the storage room 10a, thereby reducing the temperature difference between the upper and lower parts of the storage room 10a.

[0126] Preferably, the distance from the auxiliary air outlet 421 to the front side wall 111 is less than the distance to the rear side wall 112. This allows the auxiliary air outlet 421 to provide supplemental airflow to the lower front area of ​​the storage room 10a, which is far from the multiple air outlets 5101. Of course, in alternative embodiments, if the multiple air outlets 5101 are located behind the storage room 10a and the return air outlet 5201 is located in front of the storage room 10a, then the auxiliary air outlet 421 is preferably configured such that the distance to the front side wall 111 is greater than the distance to the rear side wall 112.

[0127] Based on the arrangement of multiple air outlets 5101 on the upper part of the storage compartment 10a and auxiliary air supply 421 on the lower part of the storage compartment 10a, in one embodiment, the control system can also perform a series of controls on the operation of the freezer 100 to achieve different air supply modes. That is, the present invention also provides a method for controlling the operation of the freezer 100.

[0128] Specifically, in one embodiment, the freezer 100 further includes a temperature sensor disposed in the storage compartment 10a and used to sense the temperature T of the storage compartment 10a. The control system is also connected to the temperature sensor and receives the temperature T from the temperature sensor; simultaneously, the control system is also connected to the refrigeration system to control the refrigeration system to start or stop.

[0129] In one embodiment, the control system is specifically configured as follows:

[0130] After receiving the start command of compressor 31, control compressor 31 to run and fan 60 to run, and determine whether the temperature T has reached or exceeded the first temperature threshold T1;

[0131] The start command is intended to switch the compressor 31 from the off state to the on state. As mentioned above, when the compressor 31 is started and running, the refrigerant flows along the circulation loop and the refrigeration system begins to cool. It can be seen that the acquisition of the start command usually means that the freezer 100 needs to cool the storage compartment 10a. For example, when the temperature T reaches the start temperature Ton or above, or when the shutdown time of the compressor 31 reaches or exceeds the preset time, the start command of the compressor 31 is acquired.

[0132] The first temperature threshold T1 is higher than the power-on temperature Ton;

[0133] If it is determined that the temperature T reaches or exceeds the first temperature threshold T1, then the temperature T must be higher than the start-up temperature Ton, indicating that the storage compartment 10a is in an abnormally high temperature state when the compressor 31 starts. At this time, the first air supply path from the fan 60 through multiple air outlets 5101 to the storage compartment 10a is opened, and the second air supply path from the fan 60 through the auxiliary air outlet 421 to the storage compartment 10a is cut off. In other words, the cold air at the fan 60 can be blown to the storage compartment 10a through multiple air outlets 5101 but not through the auxiliary air outlet 421, so that a large amount of air is supplied to the upper part of the storage compartment 10a while no air is supplied to the lower part. Until the temperature T drops to the second temperature threshold T2, the first air supply path and the second air supply path are opened at the same time. In other words, the multiple air outlets 5101 and the auxiliary air outlet 421 simultaneously supply air to the storage compartment 10a until the temperature T drops to the shutdown temperature Toff.

[0134] If it is determined that the temperature T has not reached the first temperature threshold T1, it means that although the storage room 10a needs to be cooled by air supply when the compressor 31 starts, it is not in an abnormally high temperature state. At this time, the first air supply path and the second air supply path are connected, so that multiple air supply ports 5101 and auxiliary air supply ports 421 simultaneously supply air to the storage room 10a.

[0135] Thus, in one embodiment, the configuration of the control system or the operation control method of the freezer 100, when the compressor 31 is running, controls the air supply status of multiple air outlets 5101 and auxiliary air outlets 421 based on whether the temperature T of the storage compartment 10a reaches the first temperature threshold T1. This ensures that when the storage compartment 10a is in an abnormally high temperature state, a large amount of air is supplied to the upper part of the storage compartment 10a through multiple air outlets 5101, thereby rapidly lowering the temperature of the storage compartment 10a from top to bottom and preventing the stored items from being in a high temperature state for a long time, which would lead to spoilage and deterioration. When the storage compartment 10a is not in an abnormally high temperature state but in a normal cooling state, air is supplied to the upper and lower parts of the storage compartment 10a simultaneously through multiple air outlets 5101 and auxiliary air outlets 421, ensuring that the temperature of the storage compartment 10a is uniform from top to bottom while improving the cooling rate and saving energy.

[0136] Furthermore, in another embodiment, the control system can also be configured to: when the door sensor detects the open state of the door 2 during the operation of the fan 60, activate the first air supply path and the second air supply path. Thus, when the door 2 is open, air is simultaneously supplied to the upper and lower parts of the storage room 10a through multiple air supply outlets 5101 and auxiliary air supply outlets 421. This serves two purposes: firstly, as mentioned above, the multiple air supply outlets 5101 form an air curtain to prevent a large amount of external hot air from entering the storage room 10a; secondly, the auxiliary air supply outlets 421 reduce the airflow at the multiple air supply outlets 5101, thereby reducing the wind pressure experienced by the user when taking or placing items, and avoiding discomfort; and thirdly, the wind pressure at the multiple air supply outlets 5101 is also reduced, thereby reducing airflow noise. In addition, combined with the structural settings of the fan 60 (such as the setting of the secondary air outlet 6202 mentioned later), when the door 2 is opened, multiple air outlets 5101 and auxiliary air outlets 421 supply air at the same time, which can reduce the wind pressure of the fan 60 and further reduce the airflow noise inside the fan 60.

[0137] Of course, in a variation of the implementation, the control system can also be configured to: when the door sensor detects the open state of the door 2 during the operation of the fan 60, cut off the first air supply path and connect the second air supply path. In this way, air is supplied to the storage room 10a through the auxiliary air supply port 421 instead of multiple air supply ports 5101. Compared with the aforementioned implementation where multiple air supply ports 5101 and auxiliary air supply port 421 supply air to the storage room 10a simultaneously, this implementation, although eliminating the air curtain effect when the door 2 is open, can achieve a better noise reduction effect. In addition, it can also prevent excessive cold air supplied by multiple air supply ports 5101 from flowing to the outside from the cabinet opening 14, thus saving energy and reducing consumption.

[0138] In another embodiment, the freezer 100 also includes a human body sensor. The human body sensor is located outside the cabinet 1 or outside the door 2, and is used to sense human signals within a predetermined area outside the freezer 100. That is, when a human enters the predetermined area outside the freezer 100, for example, within 0.5m in front of the freezer 100, the human body sensor detects the human signal.

[0139] Specifically, the human body sensor can be configured as an infrared sensor, an image acquisition device, or other devices known in the art that can be used for human body sensing.

[0140] The control system can also be connected to the human body sensor and receive the human body signal from the human body sensor. Specifically, it can be configured such that when the human body sensor detects the human body signal while the fan 60 is running, it connects the first air supply path and the second air supply path, or disconnects the first air supply path and connects the second air supply path. In this way, similar to the above, when a person approaches the door 2, air is simultaneously supplied to the upper and lower parts of the storage room 10a through multiple air supply outlets 5101 and auxiliary air supply outlets 421, which can form an air curtain effect and reduce airflow noise; while supplying air to the storage room 10a only through the auxiliary air supply outlet 421 instead of multiple air supply outlets 5101 eliminates the air curtain effect, but achieves a better quiet effect and avoids cold leakage, thus saving energy and reducing consumption.

[0141] Furthermore, the fan 60 and the evaporator 33 are arranged side by side in the front-rear direction. Specifically, in this embodiment, the air supply duct 510 and the cooling chamber 10b intersect at the front side wall 111. Correspondingly, the fan 60 is located between the evaporator 33 and the front side wall 111, that is, in the cooling chamber 10b, the evaporator 33 is relatively rearward and the fan 60 is relatively forward. Of course, in a variant embodiment, if the air supply duct 510 and the cooling chamber 10b intersect at the rear side wall 112 (that is, when the air supply duct plate 51 is fastened to the rear side wall 112), the fan 60 is changed to be located between the evaporator 33 and the rear side wall 112.

[0142] In one embodiment of the present invention, the fan 60 is arranged at an angle. Specifically, the fan 60 is configured as a centrifugal fan. Figure 2b and Figure 9a, which includes an impeller 61 and a volute 62 surrounding the impeller 61. The volute 62 defines a diversion air cavity 620, and the impeller 61 is disposed in the diversion air cavity 620; the impeller 61 rotates about a pivot T, and the pivot T forms an acute angle with the vertical direction, that is, the pivot T is neither horizontal nor vertical. Thus, it is avoided that the refrigeration chamber 10b is too high due to the excessive span of the blower 60 in the vertical direction, thereby improving the volume ratio of the refrigerator 100, and at the same time, it is also avoided that the layout space of the evaporator 33 is compressed due to the excessive span of the blower 60 in the horizontal direction, thereby ensuring a relatively large refrigeration rate. In addition, the air supply pressure and the airflow noise of the blower 60 can be reduced.

[0143] Preferably, the pivot T has an acute angle of ≥45° with the vertical direction. With such a setting, the air supply of the blower 60 can be ensured to be smooth, and the air volume loss can be reduced.

[0144] Furthermore, the pivot T is perpendicular to the left-right direction and extends obliquely upward towards the evaporator 33. Specifically, in the attached drawing embodiment where the blower 60 is in front and the evaporator 33 is behind, the pivot T is perpendicular to the left-right direction and extends obliquely from the front lower direction to the rear upper direction. Of course, in the variant embodiment where the blower 60 is behind and the evaporator 33 is in front, the pivot T is perpendicular to the left-right direction and extends obliquely from the rear lower direction to the front upper direction. Such a variant embodiment does not depart from the technical gist of the present invention.

[0145] Refer to Figure 2b and Figure 9a , the volute 62 specifically includes a first end plate 621, a second end plate 622, and a surrounding plate 623. The first end plate 621 and the second end plate 622 are respectively located on both sides of the axial direction of the impeller 61 (i.e., the extending direction of the pivot T), and the two are substantially oppositely arranged; the first end plate 621 is provided with an air inlet 6210; the surrounding plate 623 is located between the first end plate 621 and the second end plate 622 and surrounds the impeller 61 in the radial direction all around, and it is provided with an air outlet 6201, and the air outlet 6201 is connected to the air supply duct 510. Thus, when the blower 60 operates, the impeller 61 rotates about the pivot T, and under its drive, air enters the diversion air cavity 620 from the air inlet 6210, and finally can leave the diversion air cavity 620 through the air outlet 6201 and enter the air supply duct 510.

[0146] As can be seen from the foregoing, the air supply duct 510 and the refrigeration chamber 10b meet at the front side wall 111 in front of the refrigeration chamber 10b, specifically at the channel opening 1112 on the front side wall 111, that is, the channel opening 1112 on the front side wall 111 can be regarded as both the outlet of the refrigeration chamber 10b and the inlet of the air supply duct 510. Furthermore, refer to Figure 2b, the air outlet 6201 extends obliquely upward and away from the pivot T, specifically, it extends obliquely forward and upward away from the pivot T. In this way, when the blower 60 operates, driven by it, air enters the air duct 510 obliquely upward through the air outlet 6201, thereby ensuring smooth air supply, small air volume loss, and avoiding air flow noise.

[0147] See Figure 2b and Figures 9a-9c , the front end portion 621a of the first end plate 621 defines the upper boundary of the air outlet 6201, the front end portion 622a of the second end plate 622 defines the lower boundary of the air outlet 6201, and the front end portion 621a of the first end plate 621 and the front end portion 622a of the second end plate 622 are both arranged as flat plate structures perpendicular to the plane of the pivot T. In addition, the shroud 623 includes a first plate portion 623a that defines the left boundary of the air outlet 6201 and a third plate portion 623c that defines the right boundary of the air outlet 6201. The third plate portion 623c and the first plate portion 623a are both arranged as flat plate structures, and the third plate portion 623c extends parallel to the front-rear direction, and the first plate portion 623a extends from the right rear to the left front. Of course, the illustration is only a preferred embodiment, and the configurations of the third plate portion 623c, the first plate portion 623a, the front end portion 621a of the first end plate 621, and the front end portion 622a of the second end plate 622 are not limited to this.

[0148] In one embodiment, the volute 62 is also provided with an air outlet 6202, that is, the volute 62 is provided with two air outlets, where the air outlet 6201 is used as the main air outlet and the air outlet 6202 is used as the secondary air outlet. That is, when the blower 60 operates, driven by it, air can enter the air duct 510 obliquely upward through the air outlet 6201, and can also leave the diversion air cavity 620 through the air outlet 6202. Preferably, the shroud 623 includes a volute tongue 6230 at the air outlet 6201, and the volute tongue 6230 defines the minimum distance from the shroud 623 to the pivot T, that is, the volute tongue 6230 defines the minimum distance from the shroud 623 to the outer edge of the impeller 61 (the position of this outer edge can be seen Figure 9c as shown by the center dotted line m), that is, the volute tongue 6230 defines the minimum radius of the volute 62, and the air outlet 6202 is opened at the volute tongue 6230. In this way, the setting of the air outlet 6202 of the volute 62, on the one hand, cooperates with the air outlet 6201 to realize the two-way air outlet of the diversion air cavity 620, and realizes the optimized allocation of the air volume, and the air volume is distributed in the form that the air volume of the air outlet 6201 is greater than that of the air outlet 6202, which is beneficial to realizing uniform temperature everywhere in the storage compartment 10a; on the other hand, the position of the air outlet 6202 on the volute 62 reduces the air flow noise of the blower 60.

[0149] Preferably, the air outlet 6202 is connected to the auxiliary air outlet 421. That is, in this preferred embodiment, the auxiliary air outlet 421 introduces airflow from the guide air cavity 620 through the air outlet 6202, which can reduce noise and optimize airflow distribution. In addition, as mentioned above, the air outlet 6201 is obliquely upward connected to the air supply duct 510 in the front-back direction, while the air outlet 6202 is arranged towards the side cover plate 1602 in the left-right direction. Thus, through the arrangement of the air outlets 6201 and 6202, two mutually perpendicular air supply paths in the front-back direction and the left-right direction are realized, optimizing the air supply path, reducing airflow loss, and further reducing flow noise caused by obstructed airflow.

[0150] Preferably, the control system includes a first electric damper and a second electric damper. The first electric damper is movably disposed at the air outlet 6201 to open or close the first air path. Understandably, when the first electric damper closes the first air path, the cold air at the impeller 61 cannot enter the air supply duct 510 through the air outlet 6201. The second electric damper is movably disposed at the air outlet 6202 to open or close the second air path. Understandably, when the second electric damper closes the second air path, the cold air at the impeller 61 cannot leave the guide air chamber 620 through the air outlet 6202. Thus, by arranging the first and second electric dampers from the volute 62 in this embodiment, noise caused by wind pressure can be avoided. For example, when the first air path is closed, this embodiment can prevent cold air in the guide air chamber 620 from mistakenly rushing into the first air path and forming extremely high wind pressure in the first air path, thereby avoiding noise or airflow turbulence caused by this wind pressure.

[0151] Furthermore, the enclosure 623 also includes a second plate portion 623b that is curved around the pivot T. In the circumferential direction of the pivot T, the second plate portion 623 has a first end 623b1 that connects with the third plate portion 623c and a second end 623b2 that defines the boundary of the air outlet 6202. The second plate portion 623b gradually moves away from the pivot T from the first end 623b1 to the second end 623b2 (that is, the radius gradually increases).

[0152] In this embodiment, the air outlet 6202 passes through the volute tongue 6230. Alternatively, the air outlet 6202 can also be located between the second end 623b2 of the second plate portion 623 and the tip 6230a of the volute tongue 6230, and the central angle between the air outlet 6202 and the tip 6230a of the volute tongue 6230 is no greater than 5°. That is, with the pivot T as the center, a first radius line is constructed from the boundary of the air outlet 6202 near the volute tongue 6230 to the pivot T, and a second radius line is constructed from the tip 6230a of the volute tongue 6230 to the pivot T. The central angle between these two radius lines is the central angle. In addition, the tip 6230a is the position on the volute tongue 6230 with the smallest distance from the pivot T.

[0153] In this embodiment, the enclosure 623 further includes a connecting plate 623d that connects the second end 623b2 of the second plate portion 623b to the volute tongue 6230. This connecting plate 623d defines the upper boundary of the air outlet 6202. In a variation embodiment, it may define the lower boundary of the air outlet 6202, or both the upper and lower boundaries of the air outlet 6202. In the circumferential direction of the pivot T, refer to... Figure 9c As shown by the projected dashed line 623da of the connecting plate 623d, the connecting plate 623d is configured as a curved plate that gradually approaches the pivot T (i.e., the radius gradually decreases) from the second end 623b2 to the volute tongue 6230. Of course, in a variant embodiment, the connecting plate 623d can also be omitted so that the upper boundary of the air outlet 6202 is defined by the first end plate 621.

[0154] To put it another way, if we consider the second plate portion 623b and the connecting plate 623d as complete curved plate portions in the surrounding plate 623, then in the circumferential direction of the pivot T, the curved plate portion extends from the volute tongue 6230 to the third plate portion 623c around the pivot T and gradually moves away from the pivot T, while the air outlet 6202 is opened in the curved plate portion and is located close to the volute tongue 6230.

[0155] Furthermore, the first end plate 621 and the second end plate 622 are formed separately, which facilitates the processing and forming of the volute 62 and the assembly of the fan 60 itself.

[0156] The enclosure 623 can be integrally formed with any one or both of the first end plate 621 and the second end plate 622. That is, the enclosure 623 can be integrally formed with the first end plate 621, or it can be integrally formed with the second end plate 622, or it can be partially integrally formed with the first end plate 621 and partially integrally formed with the second end plate 622. Of course, the enclosure 623 can also be formed separately and assembled with the first end plate 621 and the second end plate 622. These variations do not depart from the spirit of the invention.

[0157] In the preferred embodiment of the accompanying drawings, the shroud 623 is integrally formed with the first end plate 621. This can facilitate the improvement of the assembly efficiency and ensure the sealing performance.

[0158] Furthermore, the refrigerator 100 includes a fan bracket 63 fixedly assembled with the inner liner 11. The second end plate 622 is integrally formed on the fan bracket 63. In this way, the impeller 61, the shroud 623, and the first end plate 621 are all fixedly supported on the fan bracket 63. This not only facilitates the overall installation of the fan 60 but also reduces the vibration noise during the operation of the fan 60.

[0159] Preferably, the fan bracket 63 has a protective plate 631 that covers the shroud 623. The protective plate 631 protrudes obliquely upward from the second end plate 622. The shroud 623 is inserted into the inner side of the protective plate 631 (i.e., the side close to the pivot T), and its outer surface is closely fitted to the inner surface of the protective plate 631. In this way, the first end plate 621 and the shroud 623 can be fixed, and the sealing performance at the shroud 623 can be ensured, preventing the air flow in the diversion air cavity 620 from leaking at the joint between the shroud 623 and the second end plate 632, improving the air supply efficiency, and reducing the noise.

[0160] In one embodiment, the fan bracket 63 is fixedly assembled with the wall of the inner liner 11 through a suspension member 635. Specifically, in this embodiment, it is implemented that the fan bracket 63 is fixedly assembled with the front side wall 111 through the suspension member 635. It can be understood that the wall of the inner liner 11 fixedly assembled with the fan bracket 63 through the suspension member 635 can also be implemented as other walls of the inner liner 11 other than the front side wall 111. For example, in an embodiment where the position of the fan 60 remains unchanged, the fan bracket 63 can be implemented to be fixedly assembled with the bottom wall 115 or the stepped side wall 1162 through the suspension member 635. In an embodiment where the position of the fan 60 changes to between the evaporator 33 and the rear side wall 112, the fan bracket 63 can be implemented to be fixedly assembled with the bottom wall 115 or the stepped side wall 1162 or the rear side wall 112 through the suspension member 635. In an embodiment where the position of the refrigeration compartment 10b changes to the lower left part of the accommodation cavity 10, the fan bracket 63 can be implemented to be fixedly assembled with the bottom wall 115 or the left side wall 113 or the rear side wall 112 or the front side wall 111 through the suspension member 635, etc. These change methods do not deviate from the purpose of this art and will not be enumerated one by one.

[0161] Next, with reference to the embodiments of the accompanying drawings, the assembly between the fan bracket 63 and the wall of the inner liner 11 in this embodiment will be introduced in detail.

[0162] Refer Figures 9a-10, the fan bracket 63 includes a retaining plate 632, a locking portion 633 formed on the retaining plate 632, and an installation guide groove 634 formed in the retaining plate 632.

[0163] The retaining plate 632 has a first surface 6321 that abuts against the wall of the inner container 11 and a second surface 6322 that is disposed opposite to the first surface 6321 in a first direction. The first direction is perpendicular to the wall of the inner container 11 that the first surface 6321 abuts against. In this embodiment, the first surface 6321 abuts against the front side wall 111, so the first direction is the front-back direction and is the vector direction from front to back. Of course, as described above, in a variant embodiment, if the first surface 6321 abuts against the bottom wall 115, the stepped side wall 1162 / left side wall 113, the corresponding first direction is the vertical direction, the left-right direction.

[0164] The installation guide groove 634 extends in a third direction, and the third direction is perpendicular to the first direction. In this embodiment, the third direction is the vertical direction and is the vector direction from bottom to top; the locking portion 633 protrudes from the second surface 6322 in the first direction and is located on both sides of the installation guide groove 634 in a second direction. In this embodiment, the second direction is the left-right direction.

[0165] The suspension member 635 is fixed to the wall of the inner container 11 and has a suspension column 6351 and a boss 6352. The suspension column 6351 protrudes from the wall of the inner container 11 that the first surface 6321 abuts against in the first direction. In this embodiment, it protrudes from the front side wall 111 from front to back. The suspension column 6351 is fitted in the installation guide groove 634 and can move along the installation guide groove 634, that is, move along the third direction in the installation guide groove 634; the boss 6352 is located at the protruding end of the suspension column 6351 (that is, the end away from the wall of the inner container 11 that the first surface 6321 abuts against. In this embodiment, it is the rear end), and protrudes radially from the suspension column 6351. When the fan bracket 63 is installed into the accommodation cavity 10, the suspension column 6351 moves upward in the installation guide groove 634 until it reaches the installation position of the fan bracket 63. At this time, the boss 6352 abuts against the locking portion 633 so that the first surface 6321 of the retaining plate 632 closely abuts against the wall of the inner container 11, so that the fan bracket 63 can be firmly installed on the inner container 11; on the contrary, when the fan bracket 63 needs to be disassembled from the wall of the inner container 11, the suspension column 6351 moves downward in the installation guide groove 634, the boss 6352 disengages from the locking portion 633, and the fan bracket 63 disengages from its installation position and is finally removed from the inner container 11.

[0166] See Figure 9dThe locking part 633 includes a guide slope 6331. The distance between the guide slope 6331 and the second surface 6322 gradually increases along the third direction. In this embodiment, the distance between the guide slope 6331 and the second surface 6322 gradually increases from bottom to top. Thus, when the fan bracket 63 is installed in the receiving cavity 10, the boss 6352 moves vertically along the guide slope 6331, so that the first surface 6321 of the retaining plate 632 fits more and more tightly with the inner liner 11 wall, and is finally locked onto the inner liner 11.

[0167] Preferably, the locking part 633 further includes a locking surface 6332, which is connected to the upper end of the guide slope 6331 and is parallel to the fixing plate 632. When the fan bracket 63 is installed in the receiving cavity 10 to its installation position, the boss 6352 presses against the locking surface 6332 at the front end.

[0168] Furthermore, the width of the mounting guide groove 634 gradually decreases along the third direction. In this embodiment, the width of the mounting guide groove 634 in the left and right direction gradually decreases from bottom to top. This facilitates the smooth entry of the lifting column 6351 into the mounting guide groove 634 when the fan bracket 63 is installed into the receiving cavity 10, and the fan bracket 53 gradually and accurately aligns in the left and right direction as the lifting column 6351 moves along the mounting guide groove 634.

[0169] In this embodiment, the suspension member 635 is detachably mounted on the inner wall of the inner liner 11. Preferably, refer to Figure 5a The inner liner 11 has an installation through hole 1113 on its wall; for a matching one, refer to... Figure 9a and Figure 10 The suspension component 635 includes a first locking part 6353 and a second locking part 6354. Both the first locking part 6353 and the second locking part 6354 protrude radially from the suspension column 6351 and are spaced apart along the first direction, i.e., the front-back direction. The suspension component 635 is fixed in the mounting through hole 1113. The first locking part 6353 and the second locking part 6354 are located on the inner and outer sides of the inner liner 11 wall. The first locking part 6353 and the second locking part 6354 together clamp the inner liner 11 wall so that the suspension component 635 is fixedly installed on the inner liner 11 wall.

[0170] Further, refer to Figure 5a The wall of the mounting through hole 1113 has a notch 11130. Accordingly, refer to... Figure 9aThe first locking portion 6353 is configured to match the shape of the notch 11130. The suspension member 635 has a disassembled position and a locked position: in the disassembled position and the locked position, the angle of the suspension member 635 about the central axis of the mounting through hole 1113 is different, that is, the suspension member 635 can rotate about the central axis of the mounting through hole 1113 to change between the disassembled position and the locked position. In the disassembled position, the first locking portion 6353 is aligned with the notch 11130, and it can move on the inner and outer sides of the inner wall of the inner liner 11 through the mounting through hole 1113; while in the locked position, the first locking portion 6353 is misaligned with the notch 11130 in the circumferential direction of the mounting through hole 1113, and at the same time, the second locking portion 6353 cannot pass through the mounting through hole 1113.

[0171] Thus, when the suspension component 635 is installed on the inner wall of the inner liner 11, the suspension component 635 is in the disassembly and assembly position, and the first locking part 6353 passes through the installation through hole 1113 until the first locking part 6353 and the second locking part 6354 are respectively positioned on the inner and outer sides of the inner wall of the inner liner 11. At this time, the suspension component 635 is rotated to the locking position so that the first locking part 6353 is misaligned with the notch 11130, and the first locking part 6353 and the second locking part 6354 together clamp the inner wall of the inner liner 11.

[0172] In this embodiment, the wall of the mounting through hole 1113 has two opposing notches 11130, that is, the two notches 11130 are at both ends of the diameter of the mounting through hole 1113; correspondingly, the suspension member 635 has two first locking portions 6353 oppositely arranged at both ends of the diameter of the hanging column 6351. In the disassembled position, the two first locking portions 6353 are aligned with the two notches 11130; while in the locked position, the two first locking portions 6353 are respectively located on the inner wall of the liner 11 between the two notches 11130. Thus, the suspension member 635 can rotate an angle not equal to 180° around the central axis of the mounting through hole 1113, for example, it can rotate 90°, to change between the disassembled position and the locked position.

[0173] Furthermore, the second locking portion 6354 and the first locking portion 6353 are arranged sequentially along the first direction, that is, the first locking portion 6353 is relatively rearward and the second locking portion 6354 is relatively forward, and the first locking portion 6353 is located between the boss 6352 and the second locking portion 6354. Correspondingly, during the installation of the suspension component 635, the suspension component 635 is located in the disassembly / assembly position (i.e., the first locking part 6353 is aligned with the notch 11130). The boss 6352, the hanging column 6352, and the first locking part 6353 move from the outside of the inner liner 11 wall through the mounting through hole 1113 to the inside of the inner liner 11 wall. Then, the suspension component 635 rotates by an acute angle, a right angle, or an obtuse angle (preferably a 90° right angle). At this time, the suspension component 635 is located in the locking position. The first locking part 6353 tightly abuts against the inner surface of the inner liner 11 wall, and the second locking part 6354 tightly abuts against the outer surface of the inner liner 11 wall, thereby realizing the installation of the suspension component 635. The installation operation is simple and convenient. Of course, in a variation embodiment, the second locking part 6354 may be located between the boss 6352 and the first locking part 6353, in which case the suspension member 635 is installed from the receiving cavity 10 onto the inner wall of the liner 11.

[0174] In addition, in this embodiment, the second locking clamp 6354 is configured as fins extending outwards in all directions, preferably in the form of a ring, but it is not limited to this and can also be a rectangular ring, an elliptical ring, or other shapes. The second locking clamp 6354 completely covers the mounting through hole 1113 (including its notch 11130). In this way, the second locking clamp 6354 can, on the one hand, cooperate with the first locking clamp 6353 to realize the installation and fixation of the suspension member 635, as mentioned above, and on the other hand, it can also cover the mounting through hole 1113 on the outside of the inner liner 11 to prevent the foaming material from overflowing into the receiving cavity 10 through the mounting through hole 1113 during the formation of the insulation layer 13.

[0175] Furthermore, in one embodiment, the freezer 100 also includes a fan support insulation pad 72 located below the fan 60. The fan support insulation pad 72 is fixedly installed in the fan bracket 63. In this embodiment, the fan support insulation pad 72, the fan 60, and the fan bracket 63 form a fan module. The fan module is installed and disassembled as a whole in the refrigeration chamber 10b. That is, during the manufacturing process of the freezer 100, the fan support insulation pad 72, the fan 60, and the fan bracket 63 are first assembled into a movable module. This module can be installed as a whole in the refrigeration chamber 10b through the fan bracket 63. For example, the fixing plate 632 is attached to the inner surface of the front side wall 111 and inserted from top to bottom between the evaporator 33 and the front side wall 111, which is simple and convenient.

[0176] The fan support insulation pad 72 has an air supply groove 720, which, together with the left wall panel of the fan bracket 63, forms an air supply channel. The left wall panel of the fan bracket 63 has a bracket opening 636, which connects to an auxiliary air supply port 421 on the side cover plate 42. The auxiliary air supply port 421 is connected to the air outlet 6202 through the air supply channel. Of course, in variations, the structure of the air supply channel is not limited to this.

[0177] In one embodiment, the reference Figure 2b The freezer 100 also includes an insulation pad 70 at the bottom of the refrigeration compartment 10b. On the one hand, it can support the evaporator 33 and the fan 60 to facilitate the adjustment of the height of the evaporator 33 and the fan 60, thereby facilitating the defrosting and drainage of the refrigeration compartment 10b. On the other hand, it can enhance the sealing of the refrigeration compartment 10b to prevent cold leakage, and also ensure that the air returning to the refrigeration compartment 10b from the return air duct 520 can pass through the evaporator 33 as much as possible, thereby improving the heat exchange efficiency of the evaporator 33.

[0178] Specifically, the width of the insulation pad 70 in the front-to-back direction is greater than the distance between the front edge 141 and the rear edge 142 in the front-to-back direction, which improves the sealing effect. In one embodiment, the insulation pad 70 includes at least two separate insulation portions arranged sequentially in the front-to-back direction, and the width of each insulation portion in the front-to-back direction is no greater than the distance between the front edge 141 and the rear edge 142 in the front-to-back direction. In this way, when the insulation pad 70 is installed into or removed from the receiving cavity 10, each insulation portion can be installed and removed separately without interference from the cabinet opening 14, facilitating installation and disassembly.

[0179] In this embodiment, the number of insulation sections is set to two. One is the first insulation section 71 that supports the evaporator 33 below, while the fan support insulation pad 72 constitutes the other insulation section.

[0180] Preferably, the reference Figure 2b and Figure 5b The end face of the first insulation section 71 that connects to the fan support insulation pad 72 is provided with a stepped structure 710. In this way, the first insulation section 71 and the fan support insulation pad 72 are connected through the stepped structure 710, which facilitates the molding and installation of the insulation pad 70 and helps to improve the sealing of the refrigeration chamber 10b, thus avoiding low heat exchange efficiency at the evaporator 33.

[0181] In this embodiment, the fan 60 is located in front of the evaporator 33, and correspondingly, the front end face of the first insulation section 71 is configured as a stepped structure 710. The fan support insulation pad 72 is pressed against the stepped structure 710 from above. Thus, the stepped support insulation pad 72 is located in front of and above the stepped structure 710. During the installation of the freezer 100, the first insulation section 71 is first arranged in the refrigeration compartment 10b, and a water-collecting aluminum tray 711 (refer to reference) is fixed on the first insulation section 71. Figure 5a and Figure 5b After that, the evaporator 33 is installed above the water receiving aluminum tray 711, and then the fan module consisting of the step support insulation pad 72, the fan 60, and the fan bracket 63 is inserted in front of the evaporator 33. The assembly is convenient and quick.

[0182] Furthermore, the rear of the volute 62 protrudes beyond the fan support insulation pad 72 in the front-to-back direction and extends above the first insulation section 71. This facilitates the smooth dripping of defrosting water from the fan 60 into the water-receiving aluminum tray, preventing defrosting water from seeping into the joint between the first insulation section 71 and the step support insulation pad 72 and accumulating there. Additionally, the assembly relationship between the first insulation section 71 and the step support insulation pad 72 facilitates the placement of the volute 62 and enables the synchronous installation of the fan module.

[0183] In one embodiment, the reference Figure 3 , 5a 11 and 12, the freezer 100 includes a defrost drain pipe 80, a drain pipe inlet 1522 opened on the compressor compartment side cover 152, and an evaporator dish 84 fixedly installed in the compressor compartment 120. The defrost drain pipe 80 connects to the refrigeration compartment 10b and extends into the evaporator dish 84 through the drain pipe inlet 1522. The distance h between the outlet 830 of the defrost drain pipe 80 and the compressor compartment side cover 152 is greater than its distance from the right wall panel 124. That is, the defrost drain pipe 80 enters the compressor compartment 120 from the side cover plate 152 of the compressor compartment and extends to the vicinity of the right wall panel 124, which is opposite to the side cover plate 152 of the compressor compartment, to drain water. In this way, the path of external hot air through the defrost drain pipe 80 into the refrigeration compartment 10b is extended, which avoids external heat from entering the refrigeration compartment 10b and causing an increase in the energy consumption of the freezer 100. Moreover, the outlet 830 of the defrost drain pipe 80 is far away from the refrigeration compartment 10b, which can avoid the occurrence of ice blockage under the action of hot air in the compressor compartment 120 and ensure the smooth discharge of defrost water.

[0184] Of course, in some variations of the compressor chamber 120 being changed to the lower or lower left part of the housing 1, the outlet 830 is arranged near the wall panel of the other housing 1 that is opposite to the side cover plate 152 of the compressor chamber.

[0185] Furthermore, the distance h between the outlet 830 of the defrost drain pipe 80 and the side cover plate 152 of the compressor compartment is not less than 3 / 4 of the span L of the compressor compartment 120 in the left-right direction.

[0186] A drain outlet 81 is provided on the inner liner 11 wall. Specifically, in this embodiment, the drain outlet 81 is located on the stepped side wall 1162. A defrost drain pipe 80 is installed at the drain outlet 81, and the refrigeration compartment 10b discharges defrost water into the defrost drain pipe 80 through the drain outlet 81. Specifically, see... Figure 5a and 5b The water receiving tray 711 includes a drain guide 7111 extending diagonally downwards from front to back, a water collection tray 7112 located at the rear end of the drain guide 7111, and a water outlet 7113 located at the right end of the water collection tray 7112. The water collection tray 7112 extends diagonally downwards from left to right, and the water outlet 7113 protrudes from the drain outlet 81 and extends into the defrost drain pipe 80. Thus, when the defrosting conditions are met in the refrigeration compartment 10b, the control system controls the defrosting element (e.g., an electric heating wire) at the bottom of the evaporator 33 to start defrosting. The defrost water is collected by the water receiving tray 711, flows downwards and backwards along the drain guide 7111 to the water collection tray 7112, then flows downwards and to the right along the water collection tray 7112 to the water outlet 7113, and then drains into the defrost drain pipe 80.

[0187] Preferably, the defrost drain pipe 80 includes a first drain pipe 82 and a second drain pipe 83 connected together. The first drain pipe 82 and the second drain pipe 83 are separately configured. One end of the first drain pipe 82 (the left end in this embodiment) is installed at the drain outlet 81, specifically by a snap-fit ​​structure to fix it to the inner liner 11 wall. The other end (the right end in this embodiment) is inserted into the compressor chamber 120 through the drain pipe inlet 1522. The second drain pipe 83 is at least partially corrugated. The outlet 830 of the defrost drain pipe 80 is constructed from one end of the second drain pipe 83 (the right end in this embodiment), and the other end of the second drain pipe 83 (the left end in this embodiment) is sealed to the first drain pipe 82 at the drain pipe inlet 1522, specifically by a snap-fit ​​connection. Thus, the configuration of the first drain pipe 82 and the second drain pipe 83 facilitates the installation of the defrost drain pipe 80 and ensures a tight seal.

[0188] Furthermore, the compressor compartment side cover 152 includes a sloping panel 1521 that extends obliquely from top to bottom away from the compressor compartment 120. In this embodiment, the sloping panel 1521 extends obliquely to the lower left, and the drain pipe inlet 1522 is formed in the sloping panel 1521. Thus, when the freezer 100 is installed, the first drain pipe 82 is fixedly installed on the inner liner 11. Then, when the inner liner 11 carrying the first drain pipe 82 is installed into the outer box 12, the first drain pipe 82 can be smoothly inserted into the drain pipe inlet 1522 from top to bottom. This achieves the synchronous installation of the first drain pipe 82 along with the inner liner 11, which is convenient for assembly and avoids interference between the first drain pipe 82 and the compressor compartment side cover 152, which would cause the inner liner 11 to be poorly installed.

[0189] In addition, the first drain pipe 82 has a pressure plate 820 that protrudes in all directions. The pressure plate 820 also extends obliquely from top to bottom away from the press chamber 120, and its oblique angle is the same as that of the oblique panel 1521. In this way, the pressure plate 820 fits against the oblique panel 1521. After the inner liner 11 is installed in the outer box 12, when the insulation layer 13 is formed by foaming, the pressure plate 820 can further press the oblique panel 1521 under the pushing action of the foaming material, thereby enhancing the installation firmness of the first drain pipe 82 and the press chamber side cover plate 152. It can also prevent the foaming material from overflowing into the press chamber 120 along the joint between the first drain pipe 82 and the press chamber side cover plate 152.

[0190] The detailed descriptions listed above are merely specific descriptions of feasible embodiments of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. All equivalent embodiments or modifications made without departing from the spirit of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A wind-cooled horizontal freezer, characterized in that, include: The inner liner surrounds a receiving cavity with an upward opening. The inner liner has a bottom wall that is vertically opposite to the opening and a stepped wall that bends upward from the bottom wall. Below the stepped wall is a compressor chamber that houses the compressor. A cover plate installed in the receiving cavity divides the receiving cavity into a storage room and a refrigeration compartment located between the cover plate and the inner liner. The refrigeration compartment is equipped with a fan and an evaporator connected to the compressor. The evaporator and the stepped wall are arranged side by side in the left-right direction. Multiple first air outlets located at the upper part of the storage room; The auxiliary air supply vent is located at the bottom of the storage compartment; A temperature sensor is used to sense the temperature of the storage compartment; as well as, The control system is configured to: upon receiving a start command from the compressor, control the compressor and the fan to operate, and determine whether the temperature has reached or exceeded a first temperature threshold; if so, connect the first air supply path from the fan through the plurality of first air outlets to the storage room, and disconnect the second air supply path from the fan through the auxiliary air outlets to the storage room, until the temperature drops to the second temperature threshold, at which point both the first and second air supply paths are simultaneously connected; if not, connect both the first and second air supply paths. Wherein, the first temperature threshold is higher than the power-on temperature; the second temperature threshold is higher than the power-off temperature and lower than the power-on temperature.

2. The air-cooled horizontal freezer according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: A door sensor is used to sense the opening and closing of the door at the opening. The control system is further configured to: when the door sensor detects that the door is open during the operation of the fan, connect the first air supply path and the second air supply path, or disconnect the first air supply path and connect the second air supply path.

3. The air-cooled horizontal freezer according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: A human body sensor is used to sense human body signals within a preset area outside the freezer. The control system is further configured to: when the human body sensor detects the human body signal during the operation of the fan, to connect the first air supply path and the second air supply path, or to disconnect the first air supply path and connect the second air supply path.

4. The air-cooled horizontal freezer according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, The fan is configured as a centrifugal fan, and its volute has a main air outlet, a volute tongue located at the main air outlet, and a secondary air outlet opened at the volute tongue. The volute tongue defines the minimum radius of the volute. The main air outlet is connected to the storage room through the plurality of first air outlets, and the secondary air outlet is connected to the storage room through the auxiliary air outlet.

5. The air-cooled horizontal freezer according to claim 4, characterized in that, The control system includes a first electric damper movably disposed at the main air outlet to open or close the first air supply path, and a second electric damper movably disposed at the secondary air outlet to open or close the second air supply path.

6. A method for controlling the operation of a wind-cooled horizontal freezer, characterized in that, The freezer includes: The inner liner surrounds a receiving cavity with an upward opening. The inner liner has a bottom wall that is vertically opposite to the opening and a stepped wall that bends upward from the bottom wall. Below the stepped wall is a compressor chamber that houses the compressor. A cover plate installed in the receiving cavity divides the receiving cavity into a storage room and a refrigeration compartment located between the cover plate and the inner liner. The refrigeration compartment is equipped with a fan and an evaporator connected to the compressor. The evaporator and the stepped wall are arranged side by side in the left-right direction. Multiple first air outlets located at the upper part of the storage room and auxiliary air outlets located at the lower part of the storage room; The method includes: The temperature of the storage compartment is sensed; Obtain the start command of the compressor, control the compressor to run and the fan to run, and determine whether the temperature reaches or exceeds a first temperature threshold, wherein the first temperature threshold is higher than the start-up temperature; If so, the first air supply path from the fan through the plurality of first air outlets to the storage room is opened, and the second air supply path from the fan through the auxiliary air outlet to the storage room is cut off, until the temperature drops to the second temperature threshold, at which point the first air supply path and the second air supply path are opened simultaneously; wherein, the second temperature threshold is between the shutdown temperature and the startup temperature. If not, then the first air supply path and the second air supply path are activated.

7. The operation control method for the air-cooled horizontal freezer according to claim 6, characterized in that, Also includes: Sensing the opening and closing of the door at the opening; When the door is sensed to be open during the operation of the fan, the first air supply path and the second air supply path are connected, or the first air supply path is cut off and the second air supply path is connected.

8. The operation control method for the air-cooled horizontal freezer according to claim 6, characterized in that, Also includes: Sensing human signals within a preset area outside the freezer; When the human signal is sensed during the operation of the fan, the first air supply path and the second air supply path are connected, or the first air supply path is cut off and the second air supply path is connected.

9. The operation control method for an air-cooled horizontal freezer according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that, The fan is configured as a centrifugal fan, and its volute has a main air outlet, a volute tongue located at the main air outlet, and a secondary air outlet opened at the volute tongue. The volute tongue defines the minimum radius of the volute. The main air outlet is connected to the storage room through the plurality of first air outlets, and the secondary air outlet is connected to the storage room through the auxiliary air outlet.

10. The operation control method for an air-cooled horizontal freezer according to claim 9, characterized in that, A first electrically operated damper is movably installed at the main air outlet to open or close the first air supply path, and a second electrically operated damper is movably installed at the secondary air outlet to open or close the second air supply path.

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