A maturation device for a refrigerating-freezing appliance and a refrigerating-freezing appliance

Abstract

This invention relates to refrigeration and freezing technology, and particularly to a maturation device for use in a refrigeration and freezing system, and the refrigeration and freezing system itself. The maturation device includes: a maturation drawer, removably mounted within the housing of the refrigeration and freezing system, which defines a maturation chamber for holding materials to be maturated; a return air vent and at least one air outlet on the rear wall of the maturation drawer; a circulating fan, with multiple sealing ring mounting holes spaced apart on the outer periphery of each air outlet of the circulating fan; and at least one sealing ring, each sealing ring being annularly disposed on the outer periphery of one of the air outlets, and with multiple sealing ring mounting structures spaced apart on one side of each sealing ring, wherein the sealing ring mounting structures engage with the sealing ring mounting holes. The maturation device of this invention, with sealing rings snapped onto the outer periphery of each air outlet, achieves a stable sealing connection, avoids air leakage in the circulating air duct within the maturation device, and improves maturation efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to refrigeration and freezing technology, and in particular to a maturation device for refrigeration and freezing equipment and a refrigeration and freezing equipment. Background Technology

[0002] In recent years, with consumers' continuous pursuit of flavorful food, aged foods have become increasingly popular due to their superior flavor. Aged foods refer to meats that have undergone aging and are placed in an environment with specific temperature, humidity, and airflow for slow, natural fermentation. During this process, proteins continuously break down into various amino acids, and fats develop a rich, cheesy flavor, ultimately creating a deeper, more complex flavor profile and enhancing the meat's tenderness, flavor, and juiciness. Therefore, aging equipment requires an internal circulation system to control the airflow within the aging chamber, ensuring optimal aging results.

[0003] However, existing aging devices lack a sealed structure for the internal circulation air duct. The various interfaces of the internal circulation air duct are not tight and are prone to air leakage. This leads to problems such as low air velocity and uneven air circulation in the aging room during the aging process. Furthermore, it leads to low aging efficiency or even aging failure due to slow evaporation of moisture from the surface of the material to be aged. Summary of the Invention

[0004] One object of the first aspect of the present invention is to overcome at least one deficiency of the prior art and to provide a aging device for preventing air leakage in the internal circulation duct of a refrigeration and freezing apparatus.

[0005] A further objective of the first aspect of the present invention is to optimize and define the structure of the sealing ring provided in the curing device so that the air outlet of the curing drawer can be conveniently and reliably sealed together with the airflow outlet of the circulating fan, thereby further improving the sealing performance.

[0006] A second aspect of the present invention is to provide a refrigeration and freezing apparatus having the above-described maturation device.

[0007] According to a first aspect of the present invention, a maturation apparatus for a refrigeration and freezing unit is provided for maturing an object therein, the maturation apparatus comprising:

[0008] A aging drawer is pull-outly installed inside the refrigerator / freezer, and its interior defines a aging chamber for holding the contents to be aged. The rear wall of the aging drawer has a return air vent and at least one air outlet.

[0009] A circulating fan is provided with at least one airflow outlet, and the circulating fan is configured such that each airflow outlet faces an air outlet after the curing drawer is pushed into the housing. Each airflow outlet has multiple sealing ring mounting holes spaced apart on its outer periphery.

[0010] At least one sealing ring, each sealing ring being disposed around the outer periphery of an airflow outlet and configured to fit against the opposite air outlet after the curing drawer is pushed into the cabinet, and multiple sealing ring mounting structures are provided at intervals on one side of each sealing ring, wherein the sealing ring mounting structures are engaged with the sealing ring mounting holes.

[0011] Furthermore, the sealing ring mounting structure includes multiple sealing ring mounting ribs and multiple sealing ring positioning posts; wherein

[0012] The length of the sealing ring positioning post is greater than the length of the sealing ring mounting rib to play a positioning role. Furthermore, both the sealing ring mounting rib and the sealing ring positioning post are provided with an undercut structure at the end away from the sealing ring, which engages with the sealing ring mounting hole to tightly fix the sealing ring to the outer periphery of the airflow outlet.

[0013] Furthermore, the sealing ring includes a sealing ring body, and the sealing ring mounting structure is disposed on one side of the sealing ring body;

[0014] The sealing ring also includes a bent structure formed on the other side of the sealing ring body, and the cross section of the bent structure has an inwardly opening bend angle.

[0015] Furthermore, the width of the sidewall of the bent structure on the side away from the sealing ring body is greater than the width of the sealing ring body;

[0016] The sealing ring is made of flexible material and is configured to fit perfectly against the side wall and the air outlet after the mature drawer is pushed into the cabinet.

[0017] Furthermore, the rear wall of the aging drawer has a recessed cavity in the middle, recessed into the aging chamber. The front end of the cavity has a return air baffle. Two extending surfaces extend obliquely from both sides of the return air baffle towards the rear wall, with the oblique direction expanding outwards from front to back. Air outlets are formed on each of the two extending surfaces.

[0018] The circulating fan is located at the rear of the cavity to facilitate airflow into the curing chamber through the air outlets on the two extended surfaces.

[0019] Furthermore, the circulating fan is a centrifugal fan, and includes a casing and a centrifugal impeller disposed within the casing;

[0020] An airflow outlet is opened on each of the two lateral sides of the shell.

[0021] Furthermore, the housing has a sealing ring baffle protruding outward on the outer periphery of each airflow outlet, and the sealing ring baffle is located outside the sealing ring to prevent the sealing ring from moving backward when the curing drawer is pushed into the cabinet.

[0022] Furthermore, the maturation device also includes:

[0023] At least one air duct plate is disposed inside the aging drawer, and a aging chamber is defined between the aging drawer and the at least one air duct plate, located inside the air duct plate, and at least one air supply duct is disposed at least partially circumferentially outside the aging chamber; wherein

[0024] The curing chamber and the air supply duct are connected by multiple air outlets arranged along the airflow direction in the air supply duct and installed on the duct plate.

[0025] The air supply duct and the circulating fan are connected through at least one air outlet.

[0026] Furthermore, there are two air duct plates, each forming an air supply duct with the outer casing; and

[0027] Two air duct plates are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the curing drawer, so that the two air supply ducts formed surround the sides and rear of the curing chamber.

[0028] There are two air outlets, which are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the return air inlet and connected to two supply air ducts respectively.

[0029] According to a second aspect of the present invention, the present invention also provides a refrigeration and freezing apparatus, comprising:

[0030] The container, which includes a storage compartment for storing items; and

[0031] According to any of the above-mentioned aging devices, an ingredient to be aged is aging within the device, and the aging device is located in a storage room.

[0032] The maturation device of this invention is applied to refrigeration and freezing equipment. It can effectively utilize the low-temperature and high-humidity environment within the refrigeration and freezing equipment to promote the maturation of the materials to be matured. It eliminates the need for dedicated temperature and humidity control devices, simplifying the structure of the maturation device and reducing its cost. Furthermore, the maturation device of this invention has at least one sealing ring between the circulating fan and the maturation drawer. Each sealing ring is located around the outer periphery of an airflow outlet, and each sealing ring is configured to fit snugly against the opposite air outlet after the maturation drawer is pushed into the housing, thereby achieving a tight seal between the air outlet and the airflow outlet of the circulating fan. In other words, the internal circulating air duct of the maturation device is tightly connected, allowing all the airflow blown by the circulating fan to enter the maturation chamber through the air outlet, thus avoiding the problem of low maturation efficiency or even maturation failure caused by low airflow circulation efficiency within the maturation chamber.

[0033] Furthermore, each airflow outlet of the present invention has multiple sealing ring mounting holes spaced apart on its outer periphery, and each sealing ring includes a sealing ring body and multiple sealing ring mounting structures spaced apart on one side of the sealing ring body, wherein the sealing ring mounting structures are engaged with the sealing ring mounting holes. In other words, the present invention optimizes and limits the structure of the sealing rings installed within the curing device, enabling a more convenient and reliable fixing of the sealing rings between the circulating fan and the curing drawer, thereby further improving the sealing performance between the air outlet of the curing drawer and the airflow of the circulating fan.

[0034] The above and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become more apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of specific embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0035] The following sections will describe some specific embodiments of the invention in detail by way of example and not limitation, with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numerals in the drawings denote the same or similar parts or portions. Those skilled in the art should understand that these drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. In the drawings:

[0036] Figure 1 This is a schematic exploded view of a curing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 2 This is a schematic exploded view of a curing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 3 This is a schematic structural diagram of the circulating fan of a maturation device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 4 This is a schematic structural diagram of the sealing ring of a curing device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0040] Figure 5 This is a schematic structural diagram of a refrigeration and freezing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0041] To address at least one of the aforementioned technical problems, the present invention first provides a maturation device for use in refrigeration and freezing equipment, for maturing the contents therein. In other words, the maturation device of the present invention, when applied to refrigeration and freezing equipment, can effectively utilize the low-temperature, high-humidity environment within the refrigeration and freezing equipment to promote the maturation of the contents within the maturation device, eliminating the need for dedicated temperature and humidity control devices, thus simplifying the structure of the maturation device and reducing its cost.

[0042] Figure 1This is an exploded structural view of a aging apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the aging drawer and the circulating fan of the aging apparatus are separated to show their interiors. Figure 1 As shown, the aging device 100 for refrigeration and freezing equipment of the present invention includes an aging drawer 200, a circulating fan 300, and at least one sealing ring 400.

[0043] A aging drawer 200 is removably installed within the refrigeration unit, defining an aging chamber 210 for holding materials to be aged. The rear wall of the aging drawer 200 has a return air vent 220 and at least one air outlet 230. A circulating fan 300 has at least one air outlet 310, and is configured such that after the aging drawer 200 is pushed into the unit, each air outlet 310 faces an air outlet 230, causing airflow to enter the aging chamber 210 through at least one air outlet 230 and then exit through the return air vent 220. Specifically, the circulating fan 300 is located at the rear of the aging drawer 200, the number of air outlets 310 is the same as the number of air outlets 230, and after the aging drawer 200 is pushed into the unit, the air outlets 310 and air outlets 230 are arranged opposite each other. Each air outlet 310 has a plurality of sealing ring mounting holes 360 spaced apart on its outer periphery. Each sealing ring 400 is arranged around the outer periphery of an airflow outlet 310 and configured to fit against the opposite air outlet 230 after the curing drawer 200 is pushed into the housing, thereby achieving a sealing connection between each airflow outlet 310 and its opposite air outlet 230. Specifically, each sealing ring 400 has multiple sealing ring mounting structures 420 spaced apart on one side, wherein the sealing ring mounting structures 420 engage with the sealing ring mounting holes, thereby enabling convenient, quick, and secure installation of the sealing rings 400 on the airflow outlet 310 of the circulating fan 300 during the installation of the curing device.

[0044] In other words, the aging drawer 200 and the circulating fan 300 of the present invention can be separately installed inside the refrigerator / freezer, and the aging drawer 200 can be pulled out and pushed in. When the aging drawer 200 is pushed in, it finally contacts the sealing ring 400, so that the air outlet 230 on the aging drawer 200 and the air outlet 310 on the circulating fan 300 are connected and sealed one by one, thereby completing the sealing of the circulating air duct inside the aging device 100. For example, the circulating fan 300 is fixedly installed at the rear of the housing, while the maturation drawer 200 is pull-out and installed inside the housing. When the maturation drawer 200 is pulled out, it separates from the circulating fan 300, and the circulating air path in the maturation chamber 210 is disconnected. When the maturation drawer 200 is pushed in, the air outlet 230 and the air outlet 310 of the circulating fan 300 face each other and squeeze the sealing ring 400 to achieve a sealing connection, thereby avoiding the problem of air leakage in the circulating air path in the maturation chamber 210. The airflow blown out by the circulating fan 300 can all enter the maturation chamber 210 through the air outlet 230, thereby avoiding the problem of low maturation efficiency or even maturation failure caused by low airflow circulation efficiency in the maturation chamber 210.

[0045] Specifically, such as Figure 1 As shown, the rear wall of the aging drawer 200 has a recessed cavity 240 formed inward into the aging chamber 210. The front end of the cavity 240 has a return air baffle 241, and a return air inlet 220 is formed in the middle of the return air baffle 241. Two extension surfaces 242 extend obliquely from both sides of the return air baffle 241 toward the rear wall of the aging drawer 200, with the oblique direction expanding outward from front to back. Air outlets 230 are formed on each of the two extension surfaces 242. In some specific embodiments, the horizontal cross-section of the cavity 240 is trapezoidal, narrower at the front and wider at the back. The two extension surfaces 242 form an oblique angle with the pushing direction of the aging drawer 200. Furthermore, a circulating fan 300 is located behind the cavity 240. The circulating fan 300 has two air outlets 310 and one air inlet 320. The air inlet 320 and the return air inlet 220 are arranged opposite each other, and the two air outlets 310 are respectively arranged opposite to the two air outlets 230. When the aging drawer 200 is pushed into the housing, the two air outlets 310 of the circulating fan 300 are directly opposite the two air outlets 230, so that the airflow enters the aging chamber 210 through the air outlets 230 on the two extension surfaces 242, flows through the entire aging chamber 210, and then returns to the circulating fan 300 through the return air outlet 220 and the directly opposite air inlet 320, thereby forming the internal circulation air path of the aging device.

[0046] In other words, the middle of the rear wall of the maturation drawer 200 of the present invention has a recessed cavity 240 formed inward into the space, which serves as a receiving space for accommodating the circulating fan 300, making the structure of the maturation device 100 more compact and smaller in size, thereby avoiding occupying too much space in the refrigeration and freezing device. More importantly, on the one hand, the rear wall of the aging drawer 200 is provided with two air outlets 230 located on both sides of the return air inlet 220, which are inclined at an angle to the direction of pulling out the aging drawer 200. When the aging drawer 200 is pushed into the box, the circulating fan 300 causes the airflow to enter the aging chamber 210 from the two sides through the two air outlets 230, flow through the entire aging chamber 210, and then return to the circulating fan 300 through the return air inlet 220, thereby improving the uniformity and efficiency of airflow. On the other hand, the contact surface between the aging drawer 200 and the sealing ring 400 forms an inclined angle with the direction of pulling out the aging drawer 200, which enables the air outlets 230 of the aging drawer 200 to be conveniently and reliably sealed and connected to the airflow outlets 310 of the circulating fan 300.

[0047] In the above embodiment, a sealing ring 400 is fixedly installed on the outer periphery of each air outlet 310 to seal the gap between the edge of the air outlet 310 and the edge of the corresponding air outlet 230 when the curing drawer 200 is pushed into the cabinet. It should be noted that the shape of the air outlet 310 is basically the same as the shape of the air outlet 230, the area of ​​the air outlet 310 is basically the same as the area of ​​the air outlet 230, and the shape of the inner edge of the sealing ring 400 is basically the same as the shape of the air outlet 310 so that the sealing ring 400 can be fitted onto the outer periphery of the air outlet 310. For example, the air outlet 310 and the air outlet 230 are both rectangular openings with basically the same shape and area. The inner edge of the sealing ring 400 is a rectangle with a shape and area that is basically the same as the rectangular opening. This achieves the goal of sealing the air outlet 310 and the air outlet 230 together while preventing the sealing ring 400 from blocking the airflow blown by the circulating fan 300, thereby further ensuring airflow circulation efficiency.

[0048] In some alternative embodiments, such as Figure 1As shown, the edges of the air outlet 310 and the air outlet 230 are both flat. When the curing drawer 200 is fully pushed into the cabinet, the air outlet 310 and the air outlet 230 are directly opposite each other. The plane containing the edge of the air outlet 310 and the plane containing the edge of the air outlet 230, i.e., the sealing surface between each pair of opposite air outlets 310 and air outlets 230, are flat. At this time, a butt seal can be achieved by using a flexible sealing ring 400 whose sealing function surface is flat. Even if there is a slight deviation in the left or right direction when the curing drawer 200 is fully pushed into the cabinet, the flexible sealing ring 400 can still achieve a butt seal by deforming under compression when the air outlet 310 and the air outlet 230 are nearly directly opposite each other.

[0049] Of course, in some alternative embodiments, the sealing surfaces between each pair of opposing airflow outlets and air outlets can also be curved or other irregular shapes. The present invention does not limit the specific form of the sealing surface. Any scheme that uses a flexible sealing ring 400 of the corresponding shape to achieve the butt sealing between the airflow outlet and the air outlet should be within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0050] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 As shown, the airflow inlet 320 of the circulating fan 300 of the present invention is provided with a sealing structure 321 on the outer periphery. The sealing structure 321 can be fixedly installed on the outer periphery of the airflow inlet 320 by means of adhesive or the like, and is configured to fit against the return air port 220 after the curing drawer 200 is pushed into the box, thus completing the docking and sealing of the airflow inlet 320 and the return air port 220, thereby further improving the sealing performance of the internal circulation air path.

[0051] Figure 2 This is a schematic exploded view of the curing apparatus 100 according to another embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 As shown, the curing apparatus 100 of the present invention further includes at least one air duct plate 500.

[0052] At least one air duct plate 500 is disposed inside the aging drawer 200, and a aging chamber 210 is defined between the aging drawer 200 and the at least one air duct plate 500, located inside the air duct plate 500, and at least one air supply duct 510 is disposed around at least a portion of the circumferentially outer side of the aging chamber 210. The aging chamber 210 and the air supply duct 510 are connected by a plurality of air outlets 520 arranged on the air duct plate 500 along the airflow direction within the air supply duct 510. The air supply duct 510 is connected to the circulating fan 300 through at least one air outlet 230. In other words, the aging apparatus 100 of the present invention has a two-layer structure of aging drawer 200 and air duct plate 500, with the aging chamber 210 defined inside the air duct plate 500, and the air supply duct 510 defined between the air duct plate 500 and the aging drawer 200. When the aging drawer 200 is pushed into the chamber, driven by the circulating fan 300, the air blown by the circulating fan 300 enters the corresponding air duct plate 500 through the air outlet 230. After flowing through the air supply duct 510 between the air duct plate 500 and the aging drawer 200, the airflow in the air supply duct 510 is sent to the aging chamber 210 through the air outlet 520 opened on the circumferential side wall of the air duct plate 500, thereby further improving the uniformity of air outlet.

[0053] Specifically, the air outlets 520 are arranged in a sparse-to-dense manner on the circumferential sidewall of the air duct plate 500. That is to say, the air outlets 520 at the top are arranged more sparsely, while the air outlets 520 at the bottom are arranged more densely. This allows more airflow in the air duct 510 to flow into the lower part of the curing chamber 210 and blow towards the bottom of the material to be cured, inhibiting the growth and reproduction of microorganisms and thus avoiding the problem of the material to be cured easily spoiling due to high humidity at the bottom.

[0054] In some embodiments, the curing apparatus 100 of the present invention includes two air duct plates 500, that is, there are two air duct plates 500, and the two air duct plates 500 respectively define an air supply duct 510 between themselves and the outer casing. Furthermore, the two air duct plates 500 are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the curing drawer 200, so that the two air supply ducts 510 formed surround the two sides and the rear side of the curing chamber 210.

[0055] In this embodiment, there are two air outlets 230, which are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the return air inlet 220 and connected to two air supply ducts 510 respectively. There are also two air outlets 310, which are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the circulating fan 300, with each air outlet 230 corresponding to one of the two air outlets 310. There are two sealing rings 400, each installed on the outer periphery of one air outlet 310, and symmetrically distributed on both sides of the circulating fan 300. When the curing drawer 200 is pushed into the housing, the circulating fan 300 causes airflow to enter the curing chamber 210 from both sides via the two air outlets 230, flow through the entire curing chamber 210, and then return to the circulating fan 300 through the return air inlet 220, thereby improving airflow uniformity and efficiency.

[0056] Figure 3 This is a schematic structural diagram of the circulating fan 300 of a ripening apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 As shown, the circulating fan 300 of the present invention is a centrifugal fan, and the circulating fan 300 includes a housing 330 and a centrifugal impeller 340 disposed within the housing 330. An airflow outlet 310 is respectively opened on both lateral sides of the housing 330, and each airflow outlet 310 is configured to face an air outlet 230 when the curing drawer 200 is pushed into the housing. An airflow inlet 320 is opened at the center of the front side of the housing 330, and the airflow inlet is configured to face the return air inlet 220 when the curing drawer 200 is pushed into the housing. When the circulating fan is operating, the airflow entering the housing 330 from the airflow inlet 320 is caused to exit the housing 330 from the airflow outlets 310 on both lateral sides.

[0057] In some alternative embodiments, such as Figure 3 As shown, the housing 330 includes a front cover 331 and a rear cover 332. When installing the curing device 100, the front cover 331 and the rear cover 332 are first installed, forming two airflow outlets 310 by splicing the openings on their respective lateral sides. Then, two sealing rings 400 are respectively installed and fixed to the outer periphery of the airflow outlets 310. The front cover 331 and the rear cover 332 can be fixed using four screws or other methods; this invention does not limit the installation method of the housing 330. Furthermore, the airflow outlet 310 can also be located only on one of the front cover 331 and the rear cover 332, as long as the area of ​​the airflow outlet 310 is sufficiently large; this invention also does not limit this.

[0058] In some alternative embodiments, the housing 330 may also include a fan top cover and a fan base (not shown in the figure), which are assembled together to form the housing 330. The fan top cover and the fan base each have openings on opposite sides of their lateral sides. After the fan top cover and the fan base are installed, they are joined together through these openings to form an airflow outlet 310. Alternatively, the airflow outlet 310 may be located only on one of the fan front cover 331 and the fan rear cover 332, as long as the area of ​​the airflow outlet 310 is sufficiently large. This invention does not limit this. After the housing 330 is assembled, the sealing ring 400 is fixedly installed on the outer periphery of the airflow outlet 310 on the housing 330. Of course, in some other embodiments, the housing 330 may be assembled using other methods. This invention does not limit this, as long as at least one airflow outlet 310 is provided on the housing 330, and a sealing ring 400 is fixedly installed on the outer periphery of each airflow outlet 310.

[0059] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3 As shown, the housing 330 has a sealing ring retainer 350 protruding outward on the outer periphery of each airflow outlet 310. The sealing ring retainer 350 is located outside the multiple sealing ring mounting holes 360. After the sealing ring mounting structure 420 of the sealing ring 400 is inserted into the sealing ring mounting hole 360 ​​by a snap-fit ​​engagement, the sealing ring 400 is positioned exactly inside the sealing ring retainer 350. Thus, when the curing drawer 200 is pushed into the cabinet, the support force provided by the sealing ring retainer 350 prevents the sealing ring 400 from moving backward. In other words, after the sealing ring 400 is installed on the outer periphery of the airflow outlet 310, when the curing drawer 200 is fully pushed into the cabinet, the sealing ring retainer 350 can effectively support the sealing ring 400. Specifically, when the curing drawer 200 is pushed inward and comes into contact with the sealing ring 400, the support force provided by the inner surface of the sealing ring retainer 350 can effectively hold the sealing ring 400 and resist the backward pushing force of the curing drawer 200. This prevents the sealing failure caused by the movement of the sealing ring 400 after repeated backward compression of the sealing ring 400 by the curing drawer 200, further ensuring the sealing function of the sealing ring 400. It should be noted that the sealing ring retainer 350 on the outer periphery of each airflow outlet 310 can be a continuous annular stepped surface or it can be composed of multiple non-connected small stepped surfaces spaced apart. The present invention does not limit this, as long as it satisfies the function of supporting the outer edge of the rear of the sealing ring 400 and preventing the sealing ring 400 from moving backward when the curing drawer 200 is pushed inward.

[0060] To further illustrate the potential movement direction of the sealing ring 400 in the above embodiments, see [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 1The markings are ray ① and ray ②. Ray ① indicates the direction in which the curing drawer 200 is pushed forward, and ray ② indicates the potential direction of movement of the sealing ring 400 attached to the housing 330. The reason for this movement is that when the curing drawer 200 is pushed inward, it will compress the sealing ring 400, causing the sealing ring 400 to move backward. This will cause the seal at this point to fail, thus affecting the normal functioning of the entire curing system.

[0061] Figure 4 This is a schematic structural diagram of the sealing ring of a curing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, each sealing ring 400 of the present invention includes a sealing ring body 410 and a plurality of sealing ring mounting structures 420 spaced apart on one side of the sealing ring body 410. The plurality of sealing ring mounting structures 420 of each sealing ring 400 are respectively positioned opposite to a plurality of sealing ring mounting holes 360 spaced apart on the outer periphery of an airflow outlet 310. Each sealing ring mounting structure 420 engages with the sealing ring mounting hole 360, thereby enabling convenient, quick, and secure installation of the sealing ring 400 on the outer periphery of the airflow outlet 310 of the circulating fan 300 during installation of the curing device 100.

[0062] In the above embodiments, such as Figure 4 As shown, the sealing ring mounting structure 420 includes multiple sealing ring mounting ribs 421 and multiple sealing ring positioning posts 422, and each sealing ring mounting structure 420 is arranged on one side of the sealing ring body 410 in the same direction as the installation direction of the sealing ring 400. The length of the sealing ring positioning post 422 is greater than the length of the sealing ring mounting rib 421 to serve a positioning function. That is, when installing the sealing ring 400, each sealing ring positioning post 422 is first inserted into the corresponding sealing ring mounting hole 360 ​​according to the installation direction of the sealing ring 400 to determine the installation position of the sealing ring 400. This ensures that each sealing ring mounting rib 421 is aligned with its corresponding sealing ring mounting hole 360 ​​and smoothly inserted into the corresponding sealing ring mounting hole 360, thus completing the insertion of the sealing ring 400. In some specific embodiments, the sealing ring mounting rib 421 is strip-shaped. Correspondingly, as... Figure 3 As shown, the sealing ring mounting hole 360 ​​includes multiple strip holes 361 and multiple round holes 362 that respectively cooperate with multiple sealing ring mounting ribs 421 and multiple sealing ring positioning posts 422. When installing the sealing ring 400, the sealing ring mounting ribs 421 at corresponding positions are engaged with the strip holes 361, and the sealing ring positioning posts 422 at corresponding positions are engaged with the round holes 362.

[0063] In this embodiment, the number of sealing ring mounting ribs 421 and sealing ring positioning posts 422 can be set as needed according to the shape and size of the sealing ring 400, as long as it can securely install the sealing ring 400 on the outer periphery of the airflow outlet 310 and provide sufficient support to prevent the sealing ring 400 from moving backward. In some specific embodiments, two or more sealing ring positioning posts 422 are evenly spaced on one side surface of the sealing ring body 410, and at least one sealing ring mounting rib 421 is spaced between two adjacent sealing ring positioning posts 422. For example, the sealing ring 400 is rectangular. A sealing ring positioning post 422 is provided at each of the four corners of one side surface of the sealing ring body 410. Two sealing ring mounting ribs 421 are symmetrically provided on the upper and lower sides, two sealing ring mounting ribs 421 are provided on the front side and one sealing ring mounting rib 421 is provided on the rear side. Thus, the sealing ring mounting structure 420 is distributed in all directions (up, down, front, and back) on one side surface of the sealing ring body 410. This enables the sealing ring 400 to be firmly inserted into the circulating fan 300 and provides sufficient support to prevent the sealing ring 400 from moving during the pulling out of the curing drawer 200.

[0064] In this embodiment, the sealing ring mounting rib 421 and the sealing ring positioning post 422 are also provided with an inverted snap structure (not shown in the figure) that engages with the sealing ring mounting hole 360, so that the sealing ring body 410 is tightly fixed to the outer periphery of the airflow outlet 310, preventing the sealing ring 400 from falling off during the pulling out of the curing drawer 200. The inverted snap structure includes a guide surface (not shown in the figure) facing away from the sealing ring body 410 and an anti-detachment surface (not shown in the figure) facing the sealing ring body 410. The guide surface guides the sealing ring mounting rib 421 or the sealing ring positioning post 422 into the sealing ring mounting hole 360 ​​according to the installation direction of the sealing ring 400. The anti-detachment surface is located behind the guide surface to prevent the sealing ring mounting rib 421 or the sealing ring positioning post 422 from falling off after it is fully inserted into the sealing ring mounting hole 360. In some specific embodiments, the top of the sealing ring mounting rib 421 forms two guide surfaces symmetrically arranged on both sides of the sealing ring mounting rib body, and the two guide surfaces extend backward and outward from both sides of the top wall of the body, so that the top structure of the undercut structure of the sealing ring mounting rib 421 is a structure that is narrower at the front and wider at the back according to the installation direction of the sealing ring 400. In addition, the guide surface of the sealing ring positioning post 422 is a tapered guide surface, which is arranged around the middle of the sealing ring positioning post 422 body, and the outer diameter of the guide surface gradually increases from front to back along the installation direction of the sealing ring 400.

[0065] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4As shown, the sealing ring 400 also includes a bent structure 430 formed on the other side of the sealing ring body 410. The sealing ring body 410 and the bent structure 430 are integrally formed and both are made of flexible material. Furthermore, the cross-section of the bent structure 430 has an inwardly opening bending angle, allowing it to better and more tightly fit the air outlet 230 from all directions, preventing air leakage. When the curing drawer 200 is pushed into the cabinet and begins to compress the bent structure 430 of the sealing ring 400, the airflow blown from the air outlet 310 can return by hitting the inner opening of the bent structure and then be blown into the curing drawer 200 from the air outlet 230. Additionally, the width of the side wall 431 of the bent structure 430 away from the sealing ring body 410 is greater than the width of the sealing ring body 410. Because the side wall 431 contacts the edge of the air outlet 230 when the curing drawer 200 is pushed into the cabinet and begins to compress the bent structure 430 of the sealing ring 400, increasing the width of the side wall 431 increases the contact area between the bent structure 430 and the edge of the air outlet 230, further improving the sealing effect. The sealing ring 400 of the present invention is provided with a bent structure 430, which increases the contact area between the sealing ring 400 and the air outlet 230 and improves the deformation capacity of the sealing ring 400. This more effectively ensures that the sealing ring 400 fits tightly against the air outlet 230 when the curing drawer 200 is pushed into the cabinet, minimizing the possibility of air leakage from the circulating fan 300, reducing the risk of leakage, and improving the safety factor.

[0066] Furthermore, the sealing ring 400 is made of a flexible material, wherein the sealing ring body 410 is tightly fitted to the housing 330 on the outer periphery of the airflow outlet 310. When the curing drawer 200 is pushed into the cabinet and begins to compress the sealing ring 400, the bending structure 430 comes into close contact with the edge of the opposite air outlet 230, thereby achieving a sealed connection between the airflow outlet 310 and the opposite air outlet 230. When the housing 330 is assembled from the fan front cover 331 and the fan rear cover 332, even if the fan front cover 331 and the fan rear cover 332 are slightly misaligned with the contact surface of the sealing ring body 410 due to various reasons, the deformation of the sealing ring body 410 and the insertion-and-clamping installation method adopted by the sealing ring 400 can ensure that the inner surface of the sealing ring body 410 is simultaneously in close contact with the fan front cover 331 and the fan rear cover 332. That is, the elasticity of the sealing ring body 410 itself fills the misalignment, thereby making the inner surface of the sealing ring body 410 tightly fit with the outer surface of the housing 330. At the same time, the sealing ring 400 is also configured such that after the curing drawer 200 is pushed into the cabinet, the side wall 431 of the bending structure 430 away from the sealing ring body 410 is completely in contact with the opposite air outlet 230. In other words, the sealing ring 400 utilizes the deformation of the bent structure 430 when it is pushed inward by the curing drawer 200 to fill the gap between the side wall 431 and the outer surface of the opposite air outlet 230, thereby further improving the sealing effect.

[0067] According to a second aspect of the invention, the invention also provides a refrigeration and freezing apparatus. Figure 5 This is a schematic structural diagram of a refrigeration and freezing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5 As shown, the refrigeration and freezing apparatus 600 of the present invention includes a housing 610 and a maturation apparatus 100 as described in any of the above embodiments.

[0068] The housing 610 defines a storage compartment 611 for storing items. A aging device 100 is used to age items within the storage compartment 611. The refrigeration and freezing unit 600, which integrates the aging device 100, not only has the traditional function of storing and preserving food at low temperatures, but also has an aging function, thus enriching the functionality of the refrigeration and freezing unit 600.

[0069] In this embodiment, the interior of the housing 610 may form multiple storage compartments 611, such as a refrigeration compartment, a freezer compartment, a quick-cooling compartment, and a variable temperature compartment.

[0070] In some alternative embodiments, the aging device 100 can be installed in a cold storage room with a storage temperature range of 0–8°C, which is suitable for the aging temperature requirements of the products to be aged. Furthermore, the storage humidity in the cold storage room is typically higher than the ambient humidity, making it suitable for the aging humidity requirements of the products. Even if the humidity within the aging device 100 is unsuitable, it can be easily adjusted by airflow within the cold storage room. Therefore, by installing the aging device 100 in a cold storage room, the temperature and humidity conditions of the cold storage room itself can be fully utilized, minimizing costs.

[0071] In some alternative embodiments, the aging device 100 can also be independently refrigerated by the refrigeration duct within the refrigeration and freezing unit 600. The refrigeration duct delivers cooling airflow at a specified temperature, thereby regulating the temperature within the aging device 100, for example, controlling the temperature within the aging device 100 between 0-4°C. This invention does not limit the refrigeration method of the aging device; as long as an aging environment capable of dry-aging food is established, it is possible to make dry-aged food at home.

[0072] Those skilled in the art will understand that the refrigeration and freezing device 600 of the present invention can be a French door refrigerator, and the curing device 100 is disposed in one of the upper refrigeration compartments.

[0073] In other embodiments, the refrigeration and freezing apparatus 600 may not be limited to... Figure 5 The refrigerator structure shown can also be a double-door refrigerator, with the curing device 100 located in the upper refrigerator compartment.

[0074] In other embodiments, the refrigeration and freezing apparatus 600 may not be limited to... Figure 5 The refrigerator structure shown can also be a three-door refrigerator, with the curing device 100 located in the upper refrigerator compartment.

[0075] In other embodiments, the refrigeration and freezing apparatus 600 may not be limited to... Figure 5 The refrigerator structure shown can also be a side-by-side refrigerator, with the curing device 100 installed in a compartment with a refrigerated storage environment.

[0076] In other embodiments, the refrigeration and freezing apparatus 600 may not be limited to... Figure 5 The refrigerator structure shown can also be a freezer, a horizontal freezer, or other various irregularly shaped refrigeration and freezing device 600, with the curing device 100 installed in a space with a refrigerated storage environment.

[0077] Those skilled in the art should also understand that the terms "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "middle," "lateral," "front," "rear," "inner," and "outer" used in the embodiments of the present invention to indicate orientation or positional relationship are based on the actual use state of the ripening device 100. These terms are only for the convenience of describing and understanding the technical solution of the present invention, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or device referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the present invention.

[0078] Therefore, those skilled in the art should recognize that although numerous exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described in detail herein, many other variations or modifications conforming to the principles of the present invention can be directly determined or derived from the disclosure of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, the scope of the present invention should be understood and construed as covering all such other variations or modifications.

Claims

1. A aging apparatus for a refrigeration and freezing unit, for aging an object to be aged therein, wherein, The maturation device includes: A aging drawer is pull-outly installed inside the refrigerator / freezer, and its interior defines a aging chamber for holding the contents to be aged. The rear wall of the aging drawer is provided with a return air vent and at least one air outlet. A circulating fan has at least one airflow outlet and one airflow inlet, the airflow inlet and the return air outlet being arranged opposite each other, and the circulating fan is configured such that after the curing drawer is pushed into the housing, each airflow outlet is aligned with one of the air outlets, wherein each airflow outlet has a plurality of sealing ring mounting holes spaced apart on its outer periphery; and At least one sealing ring, each of the sealing rings being disposed around the outer periphery of one of the airflow outlets and configured to fit against the opposite air outlet after the curing drawer is pushed into the housing, and a plurality of sealing ring mounting structures are provided at intervals on one side of each of the sealing rings, wherein the sealing ring mounting structures engage with the sealing ring mounting holes.

2. The maturation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The sealing ring mounting structure includes multiple sealing ring mounting ribs and multiple sealing ring positioning posts; wherein The length of the sealing ring positioning post is greater than the length of the sealing ring mounting rib to serve a positioning function. Furthermore, the sealing ring mounting rib and the sealing ring positioning post are each provided with an undercut structure at the end away from the sealing ring, which engages with the sealing ring mounting hole to tightly fix the sealing ring to the outer periphery of the airflow outlet.

3. The maturation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The sealing ring includes a sealing ring body, and the sealing ring mounting structure is disposed on one side of the sealing ring body; The sealing ring also includes a bent structure formed on the other side of the sealing ring body, and the cross section of the bent structure has an inwardly opening bending angle.

4. The maturation apparatus according to claim 3, wherein, The width of the sidewall of the bent structure on the side away from the sealing ring body is greater than the width of the sealing ring body; The sealing ring is made of a flexible material and is configured to completely fit the side wall and the opposite air outlet after the maturation drawer is pushed into the cabinet.

5. The maturation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The rear wall of the aging drawer has a recessed cavity in the middle, recessed into the aging chamber. The front end of the cavity has a return air baffle. Two extending surfaces extend obliquely from both sides of the return air baffle toward the rear wall, expanding outwards from front to back. Air outlets are formed on each of the two extending surfaces. The circulating fan is located behind the recess to facilitate airflow into the curing chamber through the air outlets on the two extended surfaces.

6. The maturation apparatus according to claim 5, wherein, The circulating fan is a centrifugal fan, and includes a housing and a centrifugal impeller disposed within the housing; An airflow outlet is provided on each of the two lateral sides of the housing.

7. The maturation apparatus according to claim 6, wherein, The housing has a sealing ring baffle protruding outward on the outer periphery of each of the air outlets, and the sealing ring baffle is located outside the sealing ring to prevent the sealing ring from moving backward when the curing drawer is pushed into the cabinet.

8. The maturation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The maturation device further includes: At least one air duct plate is disposed inside the aging drawer, and the aging drawer and the at least one air duct plate define an aging chamber located inside the air duct plate and at least one air supply duct surrounding at least a portion of the circumferential outer side of the aging chamber; wherein The curing chamber and the air supply duct are connected by a plurality of air outlets arranged along the airflow direction in the air supply duct and opened on the air supply duct plate. The air supply duct and the circulating fan are connected through at least one air outlet.

9. The maturation apparatus according to claim 8, wherein, The number of air duct plates is two, and each of the two air duct plates defines an air supply duct between itself and the curing drawer; and The two air duct plates are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the lateral side inside the curing drawer, so that the two air supply ducts formed surround the lateral sides and rear side of the curing chamber. The number of air outlets is two, and the two air outlets are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the return air inlet and are respectively connected to the two supply air ducts.

10. A refrigeration and freezing apparatus, wherein, include: The container has a defined storage compartment for storing items. as well as The aging apparatus according to any one of claims 1-9 is used for aging an object therein, the aging apparatus being disposed in the storage chamber.

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