A refrigerator shelf lifting assembly and a refrigerator

Abstract

The application provides a refrigerator shelf lifting assembly and a refrigerator, and relates to the technical field of refrigerators.The refrigerator shelf lifting assembly comprises a shelf, a push rod and an adjusting assembly, the shelf is arranged in a box body of the refrigerator, the push rod extends along the vertical direction of the box body and is connected with the shelf, and the adjusting assembly comprises a channel and first and second pistons which are slidably arranged in the channel, and the first piston is connected with the push rod.The push rod is arranged to move up and down when there is a pressure difference between the first and second pistons, so as to adjust the height of the shelf.The above technical scheme drives the shelf to move up and down through the pressure difference between the two pistons, so as to adjust the height of the shelf, and the height of the shelf can be adjusted conveniently without taking off the objects placed on the shelf.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of refrigerator technology, and in particular to a refrigerator shelf lifting assembly and a refrigerator. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of the times, refrigerators have become an indispensable household appliance. Shelves inside the refrigerator are used to store items. Multiple height-limiting protrusions are installed on the side walls inside the refrigerator, allowing the shelves to be placed on different height-limiting protrusions to adjust their height.

[0003] Existing refrigerators have fixed shelves that cannot be matched to the size of items, resulting in very low space utilization. Furthermore, adjusting shelf height requires removing already placed items, which is inconvenient and leads to a poor user experience. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The first objective of this invention is to provide a refrigerator shelf lifting assembly to solve the technical problem in the prior art where the shelf height cannot be adjusted at will, resulting in low refrigerator space utilization.

[0005] The second aspect of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator having a refrigerator shelf lifting assembly.

[0006] According to a first aspect of the present invention, the present invention provides a refrigerator shelf lifting assembly, comprising:

[0007] Shelves are installed inside the refrigerator.

[0008] A push rod extends vertically along the box body and is connected to the shelf;

[0009] The adjustment assembly includes a channel and a first piston and a second piston slidably disposed within the channel, the first piston being connected to the push rod;

[0010] The push rod is configured to move up and down when there is a pressure difference between the first piston and the second piston, so as to adjust the height of the shelf.

[0011] Optionally, the refrigerator includes a refrigeration system, the refrigeration system including a refrigeration circuit for circulating a cooling medium and a compressor disposed on the refrigeration circuit, and the refrigerator shelf lifting assembly further includes:

[0012] A connecting pipe is located downstream of the compressor, with both ends connected to the refrigeration circuit and the channel, respectively, so as to apply pressure to the second piston using the cooling medium in the refrigeration circuit.

[0013] Optionally, it also includes:

[0014] A first solenoid valve is disposed between the first piston and the second piston, and fluid is provided between the first piston and the second piston. The first solenoid valve is configured to open when the compressor applies or removes pressure to the second piston, and to close when the shelf moves to a preset position.

[0015] Optionally, it also includes:

[0016] A second solenoid valve is disposed between the refrigeration circuit and the connecting pipe. The second solenoid valve is configured to open when pressure is applied to the second piston, so that the cooling medium flows to the channel.

[0017] Optionally, the second solenoid valve is further configured to switch to a half-open state when the shelf moves to the preset position or when it is necessary to move the shelf toward the bottom of the refrigerator, so that the cooling medium flows to the refrigeration system.

[0018] Optionally, the first solenoid valve is further configured to adjust the opening degree when it is necessary to move the shelf toward the bottom of the refrigerator, so as to adjust the moving speed of the shelf.

[0019] Optionally, the channel includes a first part and a second part that are interconnected, the first part extending along the vertical direction, the first piston located within the first part, the first part located inside the housing, and the second part penetrating through the housing.

[0020] Optionally, the second portion extends in a transverse direction perpendicular to the vertical direction to form an L-shape together with the first portion, and the second piston is located within the second portion.

[0021] Optionally, the second part includes a vertical segment parallel to the first part, and a transverse segment connecting the bottom end of the vertical segment to the bottom end of the first part, with the second piston located within the second part.

[0022] According to a second aspect of the present invention, the present invention also provides a refrigerator equipped with the above-described refrigerator shelf lifting assembly.

[0023] The refrigerator shelf lifting assembly of this invention includes a shelf, a push rod, and an adjusting component. The shelf is disposed inside the refrigerator body. The push rod extends vertically along the body and is connected to the shelf. The adjusting component includes a channel and a first piston and a second piston slidably disposed within the channel. The first piston is connected to the push rod. The push rod is configured to move up and down when there is a pressure difference between the first and second pistons to adjust the height of the shelf. This technical solution uses the pressure difference between the two pistons to move the shelf up and down, thus adjusting its height. This allows for height adjustment without removing items from the shelf, which is convenient.

[0024] Furthermore, the refrigerator in this invention includes a refrigeration system, which includes a refrigeration circuit for circulating a cooling medium and a compressor disposed on the refrigeration circuit. The refrigerator shelf lifting assembly also includes a connecting pipe located downstream of the compressor, with both ends connected to the refrigeration circuit and a channel, respectively, to apply pressure to the second piston using the cooling medium in the refrigeration circuit. The above technical solution utilizes the existing compressor in the refrigerator to apply pressure to the second piston, eliminating the need for additional components and saving costs.

[0025] 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

[0026] 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:

[0027] Figure 1 This is a schematic structural diagram of a refrigerator shelf lifting assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 2 This is a schematic connection diagram of a refrigerator shelf lifting assembly and a refrigeration circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 A schematic structural diagram of the refrigeration circuit shown;

[0030] Figure 4 This is a schematic connection diagram of the refrigerator shelf lifting assembly and the refrigeration circuit according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 5 This is a schematic structural diagram of a refrigerator shelf lifting assembly according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 6 This is a schematic structural diagram of a refrigerator shelf lifting assembly according to another embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0033] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and intended to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0034] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "upper", "lower", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element 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 this invention.

[0035] Unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," "fixing," and "communication" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise expressly limited. Those skilled in the art should be able to understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0036] In the description of this embodiment, the terms "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiment," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., refer to specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection with that embodiment or example, which are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0037] Figure 1 This is a schematic structural diagram of a refrigerator shelf lifting assembly 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1As shown, in one specific embodiment, the refrigerator shelf lifting assembly 100 includes a shelf 10, a push rod 20, and an adjusting assembly 30. The shelf 10 is disposed inside the refrigerator body 60. The push rod 20 extends vertically along the body 60 and is connected to the shelf 10. The adjusting assembly 30 includes a channel 31 and a first piston 32 and a second piston 33 slidably disposed within the channel 31. The first piston 32 is close to and connected to the push rod 20. The push rod 20 is configured to move vertically when there is a pressure difference between the first piston 32 and the second piston 33 to adjust the height of the shelf 10. Here, the push rod 20 is connected to an end of the shelf 10.

[0038] This embodiment uses the pressure difference generated between two pistons to drive the shelf 10 to move up and down, thereby adjusting the height of the shelf 10. The height of the shelf 10 can be adjusted without removing the items placed on it, which is quite convenient.

[0039] In this embodiment, when the pressure on the first piston 32 is greater than the pressure on the second piston 33, the shelf 10 moves toward the bottom of the refrigerator to lower its height; when the pressure on the first piston 32 is less than the pressure on the second piston 33, the shelf 10 moves toward the top of the refrigerator to raise its height; when the pressure on the first piston 32 is equal to the pressure on the second piston 33, the height of the shelf 10 remains unchanged.

[0040] Figure 2 This is a schematic connection diagram of a refrigerator shelf lifting assembly 100 and a refrigeration circuit 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 yes Figure 2 A schematic structural diagram of the cooling circuit 200 is shown. Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, in this embodiment, the refrigerator includes a refrigeration system, which includes a refrigeration circuit 200 for circulating a cooling medium and a compressor 210 disposed on the refrigeration circuit 200. The refrigerator shelf lifting assembly 100 also includes a connecting pipe 300, which is located downstream of the compressor 210 and connected at both ends to the refrigeration circuit 200 and the channel 31, respectively, to apply pressure to the second piston 33 using the cooling medium in the refrigeration circuit 200. This embodiment utilizes the existing compressor 210 in the refrigerator to apply pressure to the second piston 22, eliminating the need for additional components and saving costs. Here, the channel 31 contains fluid, and the extension or retraction of the push rod 20 is achieved by compressing and controlling the fluid. In other embodiments, the second piston 33 can also be pressurized by a cylinder or a hydraulic cylinder to move the shelf 10 up and down, thereby adjusting the height of the shelf 10. Here, the cooling medium in the refrigeration circuit 200 is a refrigerant.

[0041] In this embodiment, the refrigeration circuit 200 includes a compressor, a condenser, a filter 230, a third solenoid valve 240, an M evaporator, and an F evaporator connected in sequence, and also has an R evaporator connected in parallel with the M evaporator. Here, the M evaporator refers to a variable temperature evaporator, the F evaporator refers to a freezing evaporator, and the R evaporator refers to a refrigeration evaporator. The installation positions of these three evaporators can be any position in each compartment. This embodiment can be implemented in a multi-system refrigerator, such as a single-system, dual-system, or multi-system refrigerator.

[0042] In existing refrigerators, the compressor 210 is off when the user opens the refrigerator door. This embodiment effectively utilizes the fact that the compressor 210 is restarted when it is off, and uses the pressure of the compressor 210 to achieve the stepless lifting function of the shelf 10.

[0043] like Figure 2 As shown, the refrigerator shelf lifting assembly 100 also includes a first solenoid valve 40, which is disposed between the first piston 32 and the second piston 33, and fluid is provided between the first piston 32 and the second piston 33. The first solenoid valve 40 is configured to open when the compressor 210 applies or removes pressure on the second piston 33, and to close when the shelf 10 moves to a preset position. In this embodiment, the height of the shelf 10 can only be adjusted by applying or removing pressure on the second piston 33 when the first solenoid valve 40 is in the open state; when the first solenoid valve 40 is in the closed state, the position of the shelf 10 is not affected regardless of whether pressure is applied or removed on the second piston 33. The shelf 10 is supported by the pressure of the fluid between the first solenoid valve 40 and the first piston 32, so that the position of the shelf 10 remains unchanged.

[0044] Figure 4 This is a schematic connection diagram of a refrigerator shelf lifting assembly 100 and a refrigeration circuit 200 according to another embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4As shown, in this embodiment, the refrigerator shelf lifting assembly 100 also includes a second solenoid valve 220, which is disposed between the refrigeration circuit 200 and the connecting pipe 300. The second solenoid valve 220 is configured to open when pressure is applied to the second piston 33, so that the cooling medium flows to the channel 31. Here, the second solenoid valve 220 is equivalent to a switching valve between the refrigeration circuit 200 and the connecting pipe 300, which can change the flow direction of the cooling medium. Specifically, all the cooling medium flowing out of the compressor 210 can flow in the refrigeration circuit 200, or a portion of the cooling medium flowing out of the compressor 210 can flow to the connecting pipe 300, and thus to the channel 31, to apply pressure to the second piston 33, thereby creating a pressure difference between the first piston 32 and the second piston 33, thereby adjusting the height of the shelf 10. This embodiment uses the refrigeration circuit 200 to provide power to apply pressure to the second piston 33, utilizing existing refrigerator components without adding other components, thus saving costs.

[0045] In this embodiment, the second solenoid valve 220 is also configured to switch to a half-open state when the shelf 10 moves to a preset position or when it is necessary to move the shelf 10 towards the bottom of the refrigerator, so that the cooling medium flows to the refrigeration system. Here, this is equivalent to adjusting the state of the second solenoid valve 220, thereby changing the flow direction of the cooling medium, so that the cooling medium in the connecting pipe 300 and the channel 31 flows back into the refrigeration circuit 200, which is equivalent to removing the pressure on the second piston 33, so that the pressure on the second piston 33 is less than the pressure on the first piston 32, thereby causing the shelf 10 to move downward to reduce its height. Here, the opening degree of the second solenoid valve 220 in the half-open state refers to the opening degree that allows the cooling medium flowing out of the compressor 210 to circulate in the refrigeration circuit 200 without flowing into the channel 31, and allows the cooling medium in the channel 31 to flow into the refrigeration circuit 200, and does not refer to a 50% opening degree.

[0046] In this embodiment, the first solenoid valve 40 is further configured to adjust its opening degree when the shelf 10 needs to be moved towards the bottom of the refrigerator, thereby adjusting the moving speed of the shelf 10. Specifically, the larger the opening angle of the first solenoid valve 40, the faster the shelf 10 moves; the smaller the opening angle of the first solenoid valve 40, the slower the shelf 10 moves. This can be understood as follows: when the user wants to quickly lower the height of the shelf 10, the opening degree of the first solenoid valve 40 needs to be increased; when the user wants to slowly lower the height of the shelf 10, the opening degree of the first solenoid valve 40 needs to be decreased. This embodiment can meet the adjustment needs of different users for the shelf 10.

[0047] This embodiment also provides a control method for the refrigerator shelf lifting assembly 100. In this embodiment, when a user needs to place items into the refrigerator, the compressor 210 in the refrigeration circuit 200 is turned off when the refrigerator door is opened. When the placed items are too large, the user clicks the shelf adjustment button on the panel, the compressor 210 on the refrigeration circuit 200 starts, the second solenoid valve 220 next to the compressor 210 switches to the connecting pipe 300, the pressure of the compressor 210 pushes the second piston 33, the first solenoid valve 40 opens, and the fluid in the channel 31, under the pressure of the second piston 33, sequentially pushes the first piston 32 and the push rod 20 upward, simultaneously moving the shelf 10 upward. When the user recognizes that the shelf 10 has moved to the appropriate height, they stop clicking the adjustment button, and the first solenoid valve 40 closes. The height position of the shelf 10 is fixed by the fluid between the first solenoid valve 40 and the push rod 20. After the height of the shelf 10 is adjusted, the second solenoid valve 220 switches to the half-open state, pushing the cooling medium of the second piston 33 into the refrigeration circuit 200. When the user closes the refrigerator door, the second solenoid valve 220 switches to the refrigeration circuit 200 to perform normal refrigeration.

[0048] When the user needs to lower the height of the shelf 10, opening the refrigerator door shuts off the compressor 210 in the refrigeration circuit 200. Clicking the shelf adjustment button on the panel switches the second solenoid valve 220 to a half-open state, and the first solenoid valve 40 opens to a certain angle. Under the action of gravity, the shelf 10 drives the push rod 20 to move downward. The moving speed is adjusted by the opening of the first solenoid valve 40. At the same time, the fluid in the channel 31 pushes the second piston 33 to move backward. When the user recognizes that the shelf 10 has moved to the appropriate position, they stop clicking the adjustment button, the first solenoid valve 40 closes, the user closes the refrigerator door, and the second solenoid valve 220 switches to the refrigeration circuit 200 for normal refrigeration.

[0049] In this embodiment, the channel 31 includes a first portion 311 and a second portion 312 that are interconnected. The first portion 311 extends in a vertical direction, and a first piston 32 is located within the first portion 311. The second portion 312 extends in a transverse direction perpendicular to the vertical direction to form an L-shape together with the first portion 311. A second piston 33 is located within the second portion 312. The first portion 311 is located inside the housing 60, and the second portion 312 penetrates through the housing 60.

[0050] Figure 5 This is a schematic structural diagram of a refrigerator shelf lifting assembly 100 according to another embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5As shown, in another embodiment, the second portion 312 includes a vertical segment parallel to the first portion 311, and a transverse segment connecting the bottom end of the vertical segment to the bottom end of the first portion 311, with the second piston 33 located within the second portion 312. In other embodiments, the channel 31 can also be designed into other shapes according to specific design requirements.

[0051] In this embodiment, the cross-sectional area of ​​the first part 311 and the cross-sectional area of ​​the second part 312 can be set to be the same or different.

[0052] In other embodiments, channel 31 may consist only of the first part 311, with the cooling circuit 200 positioned below channel 31 and the first piston 32 positioned above the second piston 33. In other words, channel 31 can be configured simply as vertical.

[0053] Figure 6 This is a schematic structural diagram of a refrigerator shelf lifting assembly 100 according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. Figure 6 As shown, in this embodiment, the refrigerator shelf lifting assembly 100 further includes a control device 50, which is connected to the compressor 210, the first solenoid valve 40, and the second solenoid valve 220, and is used to control the opening and closing of the compressor 210, the first solenoid valve 40, and the second solenoid valve 220. The control device 50 can also adjust the opening degree of the first solenoid valve 40 and the flow direction of the second solenoid valve 220. The control device 50 here includes shelf adjustment buttons on the refrigerator panel.

[0054] In this embodiment, the control device 50 includes a memory and a processor. The memory stores a calculation program, which, when executed by the processor, implements the shelf height adjustment method described above. The processor can be a central processing unit (CPU), a digital processing unit, etc. The processor sends and receives data via a communication interface. The memory stores the program executed by the processor. Memory is any medium capable of carrying or storing desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures, and accessible by a computer; it can also be a combination of multiple memories. The calculation program can be downloaded from a computer-readable storage medium to a corresponding computing / processing device or via a network (e.g., the Internet, a local area network, a wide area network, and / or a wireless network) to a computer or external storage device.

[0055] This embodiment also provides a refrigerator equipped with the aforementioned refrigerator shelf lifting assembly 100. Details regarding the refrigerator shelf lifting assembly 100 will not be provided here.

[0056] This embodiment can effectively adjust the height of the shelf 10 steplessly according to the size of the items, thereby greatly improving the space utilization of the refrigerator; at the same time, when placing items into the refrigerator, the height of the shelf 10 can be readjusted directly by raising and lowering the shelf 10, so that users do not need to unload the items already placed on the shelf 10, thus improving the user experience.

[0057] This embodiment effectively utilizes the power of the compressor 210 on the existing refrigeration circuit 200 of the refrigerator, effectively avoiding the need for a new power source and saving costs. Furthermore, by controlling and compressing the fluid in the channel 31, the stability of the shelf 10 movement is improved. This embodiment has a simple structure and is easy to implement.

[0058] In this embodiment, a refrigerator shelf lifting assembly 100 can move only one shelf 10 up and down, or it can move multiple shelves 10 up and down simultaneously. For example, if the distance between two shelves 10 can remain constant, then a refrigerator shelf lifting assembly 100 can be used to move both shelves 10 up and down simultaneously. The two shelves 10 can be connected to the same push rod 20 so that when the push rod 20 moves up or down, it can simultaneously move both shelves 10 up and down, thereby adjusting the height of the two shelves 10 at the same time.

[0059] In other embodiments, each shelf 10 can be equipped with a refrigerator shelf lifting assembly 100, and all refrigerator shelf lifting assemblies 100 can be connected to the refrigeration circuit 200. A solenoid valve is added to the connecting pipe 300. When the height of one shelf 10 needs to be adjusted, the solenoid valve is adjusted so that the cooling medium flowing from the compressor 210 flows only into the channel 31 of the refrigerator shelf lifting assembly 100. The flow direction of the cooling medium can be changed by adjusting the solenoid valve, thereby enabling the height of multiple shelves 10 to be adjusted using the same compressor 210. In other embodiments, each shelf 10 can also be equipped with a refrigerator shelf lifting assembly 100 and a cylinder. By connecting the cylinder to a second piston 33, pressure is applied to the second piston 33 by the cylinder, thereby adjusting the height of each shelf 10.

[0060] 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 refrigerator shelf lifting assembly, characterized in that, The refrigerator includes a refrigeration system, which includes a refrigeration circuit for circulating a cooling medium and a compressor disposed on the refrigeration circuit; and the refrigerator shelf lifting assembly includes: Shelves are installed inside the refrigerator. A push rod extends vertically along the box body and is connected to the shelf; An adjustment assembly includes a channel and a first piston and a second piston slidably disposed within the channel, the first piston being connected to a push rod; the push rod is configured to move up and down when there is a pressure difference between the first piston and the second piston to adjust the height of the shelf. A connecting pipe is located downstream of the compressor, with both ends connected to the refrigeration circuit and the channel, respectively, so as to apply pressure to the second piston using the cooling medium in the refrigeration circuit.

2. The refrigerator shelf lifting assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: A first solenoid valve is disposed between the first piston and the second piston, and fluid is provided between the first piston and the second piston. The first solenoid valve is configured to open when the compressor applies or removes pressure to the second piston, and to close when the shelf moves to a preset position.

3. The refrigerator shelf lifting assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that, Also includes: A second solenoid valve is disposed between the refrigeration circuit and the connecting pipe. The second solenoid valve is configured to open when pressure is applied to the second piston, so that the cooling medium flows to the channel.

4. The refrigerator shelf lifting assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that, The second solenoid valve is also configured to switch to a half-open state when the shelf moves to the preset position or when it is necessary to move the shelf toward the bottom of the refrigerator, so that the cooling medium flows to the refrigeration system.

5. The refrigerator shelf lifting assembly according to claim 4, characterized in that, The first solenoid valve is also configured to adjust its opening degree when it is necessary to move the shelf toward the bottom of the refrigerator, thereby adjusting the moving speed of the shelf.

6. The refrigerator shelf lifting assembly according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The channel includes a first part and a second part that are interconnected. The first part extends along the vertical direction, the first piston is located inside the first part, the first part is located inside the housing, and the second part penetrates through the housing.

7. The refrigerator shelf lifting assembly according to claim 6, characterized in that, The second portion extends in a transverse direction perpendicular to the vertical direction to form an L-shape together with the first portion, and the second piston is located within the second portion.

8. The refrigerator shelf lifting assembly according to claim 6, characterized in that, The second part includes a vertical segment parallel to the first part, and a transverse segment connecting the bottom end of the vertical segment to the bottom end of the first part, with the second piston located within the second part.

9. A refrigerator, characterized in that, The refrigerator is equipped with a refrigerator shelf lifting assembly as described in any one of claims 1-8.

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