A refrigerator

Abstract

The application relates to the technical field of refrigeration equipment, and discloses a refrigerator, which comprises a cabinet and an ice maker; the ice maker comprises a shell, a mold body and a driving mechanism; the shell comprises a first shell part provided with a first mold part in a closable manner and a second shell part provided with a second mold part; the back side of the first shell part is provided with a first top rod, and the back side of the second shell part is provided with a second top rod; the first top rod is fixed and does not move, and the second top rod is linked with the first shell part through a connecting rod assembly; the driving mechanism is used for driving the first shell part to move, the first top rod is used for pushing the first mold part, and the first shell part is used for driving the second top rod to push the second mold part. The application is suitable for making special-shaped ice blocks which need to be combined with molds, the two side top rods can push out the ice blocks in any mold part, the demolding structure is simple, and the demolding effect is reliable.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of the domestic application, domestic application number: 202110598609.3, application date 2021-05-28. Technical Field

[0002] The present invention relates to the technical field of refrigeration equipment, in particular to a refrigerator. Background Art

[0003] As consumers' demands for refrigerator functions increase, refrigerators with ice-making functions are becoming more and more popular among consumers.

[0004] The main component of a refrigerator's ice-making function is the ice maker, typically located in an ice-making chamber separated from the refrigerator or freezer compartment. The basic principle of ice making is this: water is poured into the ice-making compartment, which then cools the ice-making chamber, freezing the water inside the compartment into ice cubes. The ice cubes then fall from the ice-making compartment into the ice storage bin for easy access.

[0005] Due to the limitations of the ice making grid and ice turning structure, existing ice making machines cannot produce ice cubes of special shapes that require molds to form, such as spherical ice cubes or polyhedral ice cubes, and ice cubes are difficult to demold.

[0006] Therefore, the existing technology is in urgent need of improvement. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator to solve the technical problems that the ice maker in the prior art refrigerator cannot produce ice cubes of special shapes that require mold cooperation to form, and the ice cubes are difficult to demold due to the limitations of the ice making tray and ice turning structure.

[0008] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a refrigerator comprising:

[0009] a box body defining an ice-making chamber therein;

[0010] an ice maker, which is disposed in the ice making chamber;

[0011] Wherein, the ice making machine comprises a shell, a mold body and a driving mechanism;

[0012] The housing comprises a first housing portion and a second housing portion which are arranged on the left and right sides and can be opened and closed and enclose an inner cavity when closed;

[0013] The mold body is arranged in the inner cavity, and includes a first mold part arranged in the first shell part and a second mold part arranged in the second shell part, and the two mold parts form a mold cavity when closed;

[0014] The mold body has a water inlet communicated with the mold cavity, and the shell has a avoidance opening surrounded by the outer periphery of the water inlet;

[0015] A first push rod is provided at a predetermined distance on the back side of the first shell portion, a first through hole is provided on the back side of the first shell portion, a second push rod is provided on the back side of the second shell portion, and a second through hole is provided on the back side of the second shell portion;

[0016] The driving mechanism is used to drive the first shell to move so that it opens and closes with the fixed second shell. The first mold moves with the first shell, and the second mold moves with the second shell. The first ejector is fixed, and the second ejector is linked to the first shell via a connecting rod assembly.

[0017] When the first shell moves toward the predetermined position, the first push rod passes through the first through hole and pushes toward the first mold part, and the first shell drives the second push rod to pass through the second through hole and push toward the second mold part.

[0018] In some embodiments of the present application, the driving mechanism includes a motor and a rotating shaft; the first shell is connected to the rotating shaft, and the motor is connected to the rotating shaft, so that the first shell can rotate in a predetermined direction.

[0019] In some embodiments of the present application, the driving mechanism includes a main motor, a main rotating shaft, a gear set, a rack and a slide rod;

[0020] The rack is provided on the first shell portion, and the sliding rod is provided through the first shell portion and the second shell portion;

[0021] The main motor is connected to the main shaft, and the rack is meshed with the main shaft through the gear set, so that the first shell can translate along the slide rod.

[0022] In some embodiments of the present application, four sliding rods are provided and are respectively disposed at the four corners of the first shell.

[0023] In some embodiments of the present application, the connecting rod assembly includes a connecting rod and a clamping portion; one end of the connecting rod is fixedly connected to the first shell, and the other end thereof is connected to the second top rod, and a strip hole is provided on the connecting rod; the clamping portion is provided on the second shell, and the strip hole can translate along the clamping portion.

[0024] In some embodiments of the present application, the end surface of the first push rod matches the contour surface of the first mold part, and / or the end surface of the second push rod matches the contour surface of the second mold part.

[0025] In some embodiments of the present application, the mold body has a plurality of mold cavities, and each mold cavity is provided with a water inlet;

[0026] A water tank is provided above the shell, and the water tank has water diversion ports corresponding to the water inlets.

[0027] In some embodiments of the present application, water holes are provided between the multiple mold cavities to connect them.

[0028] In some embodiments of the present application, the water inlet is provided on the first mold part or the second mold part, and the water inlet is annular.

[0029] In some embodiments of the present application, a first coupling portion is provided at the edge of the concave cavity of the first mold part, and a second coupling portion is provided at the edge of the concave cavity of the second mold part to match the first coupling portion; one of the first coupling portion and the second coupling portion is a convex rib, and the other is a groove.

[0030] Compared with the prior art, the refrigerator according to the embodiment of the present invention has the following advantages:

[0031] In a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention, the ice maker's ice tray comprises an openable first mold and a closable second mold, suitable for producing ice cubes of special shapes that require a closed mold. Furthermore, the first mold is movable and has a fixed first ejector pin on its back, while the second mold is stationary and has a second ejector pin on its back that is linked to the first mold. During demolding, the first mold moves to a predetermined position, and the ejector pins on both sides eject the ice cubes, regardless of which mold is in which. This invention provides a simple demolding structure and reliable demolding results. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0033] Figure 1 1 is a structural diagram of an ice making machine according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A structural diagram of the ice maker in a closed state;

[0035] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 A structural diagram of the ice maker when it is in a separated state;

[0036] Figure 4 yes Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the explosion structure of the shell and mold of the ice maker;

[0037] Figure 5 yes Figure 1A schematic structural diagram of a driving mechanism and a housing of an ice maker;

[0038] Figure 6 is a structural schematic diagram of an ice making machine according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 7 yes Figure 6 A structural diagram of the ice maker in a closed state;

[0040] Figure 8 yes Figure 6 A structural diagram of the ice maker when it is in a separated state;

[0041] Figure 9 yes Figure 6 A schematic structural diagram of a driving mechanism and a housing of an ice maker;

[0042] Figure 10 yes Figure 1 or Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the structure of the water tank and the mold body of the ice maker;

[0043] Figure 11 yes Figure 1 or Figure 6 Schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the ice making machine model;

[0044] In the figure, 100, base; 101, upper side panel; 102, left side panel; 103, right side panel; 104, front side panel;

[0045] 200, housing; 210, first housing portion; 211, first slot; 212, first through hole; 220, second housing portion; 221, second slot; 222, second through hole;

[0046] 300, mold body; 301, water inlet; 302, water hole; 310, first mold part; 311, first opening; 320, second mold part; 321, second opening; 322, second closing part;

[0047] 410, first push rod; 420, second push rod;

[0048] 500, driving mechanism; 510, main motor; 520, main rotating shaft; 530, gear set; 540, rack; 550, slide bar; 501, motor; 502, rotating shaft; 503, fixed shaft;

[0049] 600. Sink; 601. Water outlet;

[0050] 700, connecting rod assembly; 710, connecting rod; 720, first clamping portion; 730, second clamping portion; 701, strip-shaped hole. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0051] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of this application to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application. Obviously, the embodiments described are only part of the embodiments of this application, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0052] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", etc., indicating the orientation or position relationship, are based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on this application.

[0053] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood to indicate or imply relative importance or implicitly specify the number of the technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature specified as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of this application, unless otherwise specified, "plurality" means two or more.

[0054] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, the terms "installed," "connected," and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; mechanical connections or electrical connections; direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; and internal connections between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in this application based on specific circumstances.

[0055] A refrigerator according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention mainly includes a refrigerator body and an ice maker.

[0056] The box may define a refrigerator compartment and a freezer compartment. In actual configuration, the ice maker may be located directly in the freezer compartment, in which case the freezer compartment serves as the ice-making chamber. Alternatively, a separate ice-making chamber may be defined within the refrigerator compartment or the freezer compartment by insulating panels, with the ice maker located within the ice-making chamber.

[0057] See also Figure 1 The ice maker includes a base 100 , a shell 200 , a mold 300 and a driving mechanism 500 .

[0058] See also Figure 2The base 100 is used to connect with the ice making chamber, and specifically includes an upper side plate 101, a left side plate 102, a right side plate 103, a front side plate 104 and a rear side plate. The front, rear, left and right directions mentioned in this application are defined for the purpose of clearly describing the structure. In actual settings, they are not limited to the front, rear, left and right directions. Figure 2 The front-to-back direction is shown within the ice making chamber.

[0059] See also Figure 4 The housing 200 includes a first housing portion 210 and a second housing portion 220. The inner wall of the first housing portion 210 is provided with a first inner cavity, and the inner wall of the second housing portion 220 is provided with a second inner cavity. The first housing portion 210 and the second housing portion 220 can be opened and closed and enclose an inner cavity when closed.

[0060] See also Figure 4 The mold body 300 is arranged in the inner cavity, and the mold body 300 includes a first mold part 310 and a second mold part 320. The first mold part 310 is attached to the first inner cavity of the first shell part 210, has a first concave cavity, and can move with the first shell part 210. The second mold part 320 is attached to the second inner cavity of the second shell part 220, has a second concave cavity, and can be fixed with the second shell part 220. The first mold part 310 and the second mold part 320 form a mold cavity when closed. The shape of the mold cavity is the shape of the ice cube produced. The mold cavity can be designed according to the needs of the user, and can be designed into a sphere, a diamond-faced sphere or a polyhedron, etc. In addition, the first mold part 310 and the second mold part 320 are both made of food-grade silicone material that can be deformed under the action of external force.

[0061] See also Figure 4 The mold body 300 has a water inlet 301 connected to the mold cavity. The top of the first mold part 310 is provided with a first opening 311, and the top of the second mold part 320 is provided with a second opening 321. The water inlet 301 is formed when the first opening 311 and the second opening 312 are closed. An opening is provided at a position corresponding to the water inlet 301 on the upper side plate 101, and an external water pipe injects water into the mold cavity through the water inlet 301. Figure 4 and Figure 11 Corresponding to two forms of water inlet 301, Figure 4 Shown is a water inlet 301 in a closed-mold form. Figure 11 The introduction is expanded below.

[0062] See also Figure 4 The first shell portion 210 is provided with a first slot 211 , and the second shell portion 220 is provided with a second slot 221 . When the first slot 211 and the second slot 221 are closed, they form an escape opening enclosed at the periphery of the water inlet 301 .

[0063] See also Figure 1-4A first push rod 410 is provided at a predetermined distance on the back side of the first shell 210. The first push rod 410 can be fixed to the left side plate 102. A first through hole 212 is provided on the back of the first shell 210. A second push rod 420 is provided on the back side of the second shell 220. A second through hole 222 is provided on the back of the second shell 220.

[0064] The drive mechanism 500 is used to drive the first housing 210 to move, forming an opening and closing relationship with the stationary second housing 220. The first mold 310 moves with the first housing 210, while the second mold 320 remains stationary following the second housing 220. The first ejector rod 410 is stationary, while the second ejector rod 420 is linked to the first housing 210 via a connecting rod assembly 700. Figure 2 and Figure 3 1 and 2 are structural schematic diagrams of the first shell portion 210 and the second shell portion 220 in the closed and separated states respectively.

[0065] During demolding, the drive mechanism 500 drives the first shell 210 to a predetermined position. The first push rod 410 passes through the first through-hole 212 and pushes against the first mold 310, causing the first mold 310 to deform. Simultaneously, the first shell 210 drives the second push rod 420 through the connecting rod assembly 700, which passes through the second through-hole 222 and pushes against the second mold 320, causing the second mold 320 to deform. During the actual ice-making process, when the first shell 210 and the second shell 220 are separated, ice cubes may adhere to the first mold 310 or the second mold 320. The solution of the present application can eject ice cubes, regardless of whether they are in the first mold 310 or the second mold 320, causing them to fall into the ice storage bin for user access.

[0066] The present application proposes a refrigerator in which the ice-making compartment of the ice-making machine includes an openable first mold shell (first shell portion 210 and first mold portion 310) and a second mold shell (second shell portion 220 and second mold portion 320). The refrigerator is suitable for producing ice cubes of special shapes that require molds to form, such as spherical ice cubes or polyhedral ice cubes. In addition, the first mold shell is movable and has a fixed first ejector rod 410 on its back side, while the second mold shell is fixed and has a second ejector rod 420 on its back side that is linked to the first mold shell. During demolding, the first mold shell moves to a predetermined position, and the ejector rods on both sides can eject the ice cubes regardless of which mold shell is located. The demolding structure of the present application is simple and the demolding effect is reliable.

[0067] In some embodiments of the present application, the opening and closing movements of the first shell 210 and the second shell 220 may include at least translation or rotation. The present application provides preferred supporting drive mechanisms 500 for these two modes respectively.

[0068] See also Figure 1-5When the first shell 210 adopts a translational opening and closing motion, the driving mechanism 500 may include a main motor 510, a main shaft 520, a gear set 530, a rack 540 and a sliding rod 550.

[0069] See also Figure 5 Two racks 540 are provided, one located at the front and rear sides of the top of the first housing 210. Four slide bars 570 are provided, one extending through the four corners of the first and second housings 210 and 220. The main motor 510 is connected to the main shaft 520, and the racks 540 mesh with the main shaft 520 via a gear set 530, allowing the first housing 210 to translate along the slide bars 550.

[0070] See also Figure 1-5 When the first shell 210 adopts a translational opening and closing motion, the connecting rod assembly 700 includes a connecting rod 710, a first clamping portion 720, and a second clamping portion 730. The shape of the connecting rod 710 is consistent with the motion path of the first shell 210, that is, a straight line. A fixing hole is provided on one end of the connecting rod 710, and the other end is connected to the second top rod 420. The connecting rod 710 is also provided with a strip hole 701. The first clamping portion 720 is provided on the front side and the rear side of the first shell 210, and the second clamping portion 730 is provided on the front side and the rear side of the second shell 220. The fixing hole is fixedly connected to the first clamping portion 720, and the strip hole 701 can translate left and right along the second clamping portion 730.

[0071] See also Figure 6-9 When the first housing 210 is configured to open and close using a rotational motion, the drive mechanism 500 may include a motor 501 and a rotating shaft 502. The first housing 210 is connected to the rotating shaft 502, and the motor 501 is connected to the rotating shaft 502, allowing the first housing 210 to rotate in a predetermined direction. The second housing 220 may be connected to a fixed shaft 503 or directly fixedly connected to the base 100.

[0072] See also Figure 6-9 When the first shell 210 adopts a rotational opening and closing motion, the shape of the connecting rod assembly 700 is consistent with the movement path of the first shell 210, that is, it is an arc shape, one end of which is connected to the first shell 210 by a screw, and the other end is connected to the second push rod 420.

[0073] In some embodiments of this application, see Figure 2 and Figure 7 The end face of the first push rod 410 matches the contour surface of the first mold part 310, and the end face of the second push rod 420 matches the contour surface of the second mold part 320, so that the push rod can be pushed against the mold part more closely, causing the mold part to be effectively deformed, thereby demolding the ice cubes in the mold part.

[0074] In some embodiments of this application, see Figure 10The mold body can have multiple mold cavities. The figure shows an example with three mold cavities, each of which has a water inlet 301. A water tank 600 is provided above the shell. The water tank 600 has water diversion ports 601 corresponding to the water inlets 301. A water diversion pipe can be extended from the water diversion port 601 to communicate with the water inlet 301. Figure 1 The water tank 600 can be fixed to the base 100, and an opening is provided at a position on the upper side plate 101 corresponding to the water tank 600. The multi-cavity configuration increases the ice production capacity of the ice maker. The water tank 600 with a water diversion port 601 can help improve water injection efficiency, thereby effectively improving ice making efficiency.

[0075] In some embodiments of this application, see Figure 11 A plurality of mold cavities are connected by water holes 302, so that the water injected into the mold cavity can flow in the mold cavity, thereby making the amount of water in each mold cavity tend to be even, ensuring that the weight difference of the ice cubes produced is small.

[0076] In some embodiments of this application, see Figure 11 The water inlet 301 is annular, preferably funnel-shaped, and is formed on the first mold part 310 or the second mold part 320. The present application changes the water inlet 301 from a two-half mold method to a form formed separately on one of the mold parts, which can prevent water from leaking out of the mold cavity from the mold line of the water inlet 301 during water injection, causing mold adhesion, and making it difficult to separate the first mold part 310 and the second mold part 320 during subsequent demolding, resulting in an unsmooth demolding process. In addition, since the single water injection volume during ice making is constant, if water leaks during water injection, the amount of water entering the mold cavity is reduced, the ice cubes produced are smaller than the preset value, and the integrity of the ice cubes is reduced. The use of the annular water inlet 301 of the present application can avoid water leakage, thereby better ensuring the integrity of the ice cubes.

[0077] In some embodiments of this application, see Figure 11 The first mold section 310 has a first engaging portion (not shown) at the edge of its concave cavity (the first concave cavity). The second mold section 320 has a second engaging portion 322 at its edge that mates with the first engaging portion. One of the first and second engaging portions 322 is a rib, and the other is a groove. This arrangement improves the mold fit between the first and second mold sections 310, 320, effectively preventing the ice cube from forming an irregular shape at the parting line, which could affect its aesthetic appearance.

[0078] The above is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It should be pointed out that for ordinary technicians in this technical field, several improvements and substitutions can be made without departing from the technical principles of the present invention. These improvements and substitutions should also be regarded as the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A refrigerator, comprising: a box body defining an ice-making chamber therein; an ice maker, which is disposed in the ice making chamber; Characterized in that, the ice maker comprises a shell, a mold body and a driving mechanism; The housing comprises a first housing portion and a second housing portion which are arranged on the left and right sides and can be opened and closed and enclose an inner cavity when closed; The mold body is arranged in the inner cavity, and includes a first mold part arranged in the first shell part and a second mold part arranged in the second shell part, and the two mold parts form a mold cavity when closed; the top of the mold body has a water inlet connected to the mold cavity, and the shell has a avoidance opening surrounded by the outer periphery of the water inlet; the first shell part has a first slot, and the second shell part has a second slot, and the first slot and the second slot form the avoidance opening when closed; A first push rod is provided at a predetermined distance on the back side of the first shell portion, a first through hole is provided on the back side of the first shell portion, a second push rod is provided on the back side of the second shell portion, and a second through hole is provided on the back side of the second shell portion; The driving mechanism is used to drive the first shell to move in translation, so that it opens and closes with the fixed second shell. The first mold follows the translation of the first shell, and the second mold follows the second shell and remains fixed. The first ejector is fixed, and the second ejector is linked to the first shell via a first connecting rod assembly. During the movement of the first shell portion toward the predetermined position, the first push rod passes through the first through hole and pushes toward the first mold portion, and the first shell portion drives the second push rod to pass through the second through hole and push toward the second mold portion; The water inlet is provided on the first mold part or the second mold part, and the water inlet is annular; The edge of the concave cavity of the first mold part is provided with a first closing part, and the edge of the concave cavity of the second mold part is provided with a second closing part adapted to the first closing part; one of the first closing part and the second closing part is a convex rib, and the other is a groove, and the mold cavity formed by the first mold part and the second mold part is connected.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein: The driving mechanism includes a motor and a rotating shaft; the first shell is connected to the rotating shaft, and the motor is connected to the rotating shaft, so that the first shell can rotate in a predetermined direction.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein: The driving mechanism includes a main motor, a main rotating shaft, a gear set, a rack and a slide rod; The rack is provided on the first shell portion, and the sliding rod is provided through the first shell portion and the second shell portion; The main motor is connected to the main shaft, and the rack is meshed with the main shaft through the gear set, so that the first shell can translate along the slide rod.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 3, wherein: There are four sliding rods, which are respectively arranged at the four corners of the first shell.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 3, wherein: The connecting rod assembly includes a connecting rod and a clamping portion; one end of the connecting rod is fixedly connected to the first shell portion, and the other end thereof is connected to the second push rod, and a strip hole is provided on the connecting rod; the clamping portion is provided on the second shell portion, and the strip hole can translate along the clamping portion.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein: The end surface of the first ejector pin matches the contour surface of the first mold portion, and / or the end surface of the second ejector pin matches the contour surface of the second mold portion.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein: The mold body has a plurality of mold cavities, and each mold cavity is provided with a water inlet; A water tank is provided above the shell, and the water tank has water diversion ports corresponding to the water inlets.

8. The refrigerator according to claim 7, wherein: Water holes are provided between the plurality of mold cavities to communicate with each other.

Images