Mechanical damper assembly, cold air duct assembly, and refrigerator
By designing the actuating element and insulation structure of the mechanical damper assembly, the problem of poor cold air insulation in traditional mechanical dampers has been solved, achieving better sealing and insulation effects and reducing the risk of the refrigerated room temperature going below zero.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Patents(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- TCL HOME APPLIANCES (HEFEI) CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2023-11-07
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-10
AI Technical Summary
Traditional manual mechanical dampers have a single-layer structure, which results in poor insulation between the freezer and refrigerator compartments, posing a risk of the refrigerator compartment temperature dropping below zero.
A mechanical damper assembly was designed, comprising an actuating element, a connecting part, a first insulation part, and a second insulation part. Arranged along the extension direction of the air duct, it enhances the blocking effect of cold air and restricts the movement of the damper through a hook structure and a limiting protrusion, thereby improving the sealing performance.
It improves the insulation of the cold storage compartment, reduces cold loss, lowers the risk of the cold storage compartment temperature dropping below zero, and enhances the sealing effect of the air damper and the foam front cover.
Smart Images
Figure CN117490322B_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This application belongs to the field of refrigerator technology, and particularly relates to a mechanical damper assembly, a refrigeration air duct assembly, and a refrigerator. Background Technology
[0002] Currently, single-system air-cooled refrigerators typically have the evaporator installed in the freezer compartment, and a mechanical damper controls the transfer of cold air from the freezer to the refrigerator compartment. Mechanical dampers are divided into electric and manual types; manual dampers are more widely used due to their cost-effectiveness.
[0003] Traditional mechanical dampers are usually single-layered. The sealing effect between the single-layered damper and the foam in the air duct is not ideal, and the insulation effect is not good. This results in excessive cold air being transferred from the freezer compartment to the refrigerator compartment, which poses a risk of the refrigerator compartment temperature dropping below zero. Summary of the Invention
[0004] This application provides a mechanical damper assembly, a refrigerated air duct assembly, and a refrigerator, which have good heat insulation effects.
[0005] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a mechanical damper assembly for controlling the airflow in a refrigerator's air duct, comprising:
[0006] A toggle element includes a toggle part and a connecting part, wherein the connecting part is connected to the toggle part;
[0007] A mechanical damper includes a first insulation part, a second insulation part, and a mounting part. The mounting part is connected to the side of the connecting part away from the actuating part. The first insulation part and the second insulation part are installed at intervals on the side of the mounting part away from the connecting part. The first insulation part and the second insulation part are arranged along the extension direction of the air duct.
[0008] In one embodiment, the end of the connecting portion away from the actuating portion is provided with a hook structure, and the mounting portion is provided with a limiting protrusion that cooperates with the hook structure to restrict the movement of the mechanical damper in the first direction.
[0009] In one embodiment, the limiting protrusion is installed on the side of the mounting portion away from the actuating portion and extends along the side away from the actuating portion. The hook structure has a guide slope and a limiting surface. The limiting protrusion includes a first sidewall and a second sidewall. The first sidewall is used to cooperate with the guide slope to guide the connecting portion, and the second sidewall is used to cooperate with the limiting surface to restrict the movement of the connecting portion in a first direction.
[0010] Secondly, embodiments of this application also provide a refrigerated air duct assembly, comprising:
[0011] Foam front cover; and
[0012] As described in any of the above embodiments, the mechanical damper assembly has the actuating part located on one side of the foam front cover, and an air duct is provided on the side of the foam front cover away from the actuating part. The air duct extends along the length direction of the foam front cover, the mechanical damper is movably installed in the air duct, and the first heat insulation part and the second heat insulation part are arranged along the extension direction of the air duct.
[0013] In one embodiment, the foam front cover is further provided with a first strip-shaped hole extending along the width direction of the foam front cover. The first strip-shaped hole communicates with the air duct. The connecting part passes through the first strip-shaped hole and can move along the first strip-shaped hole to drive the mechanical damper to block or connect the air duct.
[0014] The foam front cover has a strip groove on the side away from the actuating part for accommodating the mechanical damper. The strip groove extends along the width direction of the foam front cover and communicates with the air duct. The bottom wall of the strip groove has the first strip hole.
[0015] The length of the mechanical damper is the same as the length of the strip groove, and the length of the mechanical damper is the same as the width of the air duct.
[0016] The refrigerated air duct assembly also includes a cover plate, which covers the foam front cover on the side near the actuating part. The cover plate has a second strip-shaped hole, and the actuating part has a protrusion on the side facing the cover plate, which protrudes from the second strip-shaped hole.
[0017] The refrigerated air duct assembly also includes a foam rear cover, which is disposed on the foam front cover. The mechanical damper is located between the foam rear cover and the foam front cover, and the foam rear cover and the mechanical damper are spaced apart.
[0018] Thirdly, embodiments of this application also provide a refrigerator, including a refrigeration air duct assembly as described in any of the above embodiments.
[0019] In the mechanical damper assembly provided in this application embodiment, the first insulation part and the second insulation part are arranged along the extension direction of the air duct. When cold air is transferred from the freezer compartment to the refrigerator compartment through the air duct, it needs to pass through the first insulation part and the second insulation part. The cold air is simultaneously blocked by the first insulation part and the second insulation part, thereby improving the insulation effect, reducing cold loss, and reducing the risk of the refrigerator compartment temperature going below zero. In this application embodiment, the mechanical damper is located in the air duct. Due to the connection part, the width and volume of the connection part are relatively small compared to the mechanical damper. The opening in the foam front cover of the refrigerator air duct assembly for the connection part to pass through is small, thereby making the sealing effect between the mechanical damper and the foam front cover better, reducing cold loss, and reducing the risk of the refrigerator compartment temperature going below zero. Attached Figure Description
[0020] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application, and those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings based on these drawings without creative effort.
[0021] To gain a more complete understanding of this application and its beneficial effects, the following description will be provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the following description, the same reference numerals denote the same parts.
[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the refrigerated air duct assembly provided in the embodiments of this application;
[0023] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of the refrigerated air duct assembly shown;
[0024] Figure 3 for Figure 2 A magnified view of a section at point A in the middle;
[0025] Figure 4 for Figure 1 A partial structural schematic diagram of the refrigeration air duct assembly;
[0026] Figure 5 for Figure 4 A magnified view of a section at point B in the middle;
[0027] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the mechanical damper assembly provided in the embodiments of this application;
[0028] Figure 7 for Figure 6 An exploded view of the mechanical damper assembly shown.
[0029] Figure 8 for Figure 6 A cross-sectional view of the mechanical damper assembly shown;
[0030] Figure 9 for Figure 7 The cross-sectional view of the mechanical damper assembly shown. Detailed Implementation
[0031] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of them. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.
[0032] This application provides a mechanical damper assembly, a refrigerated air duct assembly, and a refrigerator.
[0033] A refrigerator typically includes an outer shell and an inner liner. The inner liner is located inside the outer shell, forming an installation space between them for mounting other refrigerator components and forming the foam insulation layer. The interior of the inner liner forms a cooling chamber, which can be a refrigerator compartment, a freezer compartment, etc. The refrigerator compartment keeps food refrigerated; the freezer compartment keeps food frozen. The freezer compartment has an evaporator, and cold air is transferred from the freezer compartment to the refrigerator compartment via a damper. Dampers are generally divided into electric dampers and mechanical dampers. Mechanical dampers are more economical than electric dampers, and most mechanical dampers (disc-type) on the market are currently single-layered.
[0034] The refrigerator in this application embodiment includes, as follows: Figure 1 The refrigerator air duct assembly shown includes a mechanical damper assembly that controls the airflow through the refrigerator's air duct. The refrigerator's air duct can be located within the foam front cover of the refrigerator air duct assembly.
[0035] like Figure 2 As shown, in one embodiment, the mechanical damper assembly includes an actuating member 10, which includes an actuating portion 11 and a connecting portion 13, the connecting portion 13 being connected to the actuating portion 11; as Figure 3 , Figure 6 As shown, the mechanical damper 30 includes a first heat insulation part 31, a second heat insulation part 33, and a mounting part 35. The mounting part 35 is connected to the connecting part 13 on the side away from the actuating part 11. The first heat insulation part 31 and the second heat insulation part 33 are installed at intervals on the mounting part 35 on the side away from the connecting part 13. The first heat insulation part 31 and the second heat insulation part 33 are arranged along the extension direction of the air duct.
[0036] In this embodiment, the mechanical damper assembly includes an actuating element 10 and a mechanical damper 30. The actuating element 10 includes an actuating portion 11 and a connecting portion 13. The connecting portion 13 is connected to the actuating portion 11. Actuating the actuating portion 11 causes the connecting portion 13 to move. The mechanical damper 30 includes a first heat insulation portion 31, a second heat insulation portion 33, and a mounting portion 35. The mounting portion 35 is connected to the side of the connecting portion 13 opposite to the actuating portion 11. Thus, the moving connecting portion 13 causes the mounting portion 35 to move. The first heat insulation portion 31 and the second heat insulation portion 33 are spaced apart and installed on the side of the mounting portion 35 opposite to the connecting portion 13. The first heat insulation portion 31 and the second heat insulation portion 33 are arranged along the extension direction of the air duct. The first insulation section 31 and the second insulation section 33 are arranged along the extension direction of the air duct. When cold air is transferred from the freezer compartment to the refrigerator compartment through the air duct, it needs to pass through the first insulation section 31 and the second insulation section 33. The cold air is blocked by the first insulation section 31 and the second insulation section 33 at the same time, thereby reducing the loss of cold air and reducing the risk of the refrigerator compartment temperature going through zero. The first insulation part 31 and the second insulation part 33 are installed at intervals on the side of the mounting part 35 away from the connecting part 13. The width of the mechanical damper 30, which is composed of the first insulation part 31, the mounting part 35 and the second insulation part 33, is greater than the width of the connecting part 13. During installation, the connecting part 13 passes through the foam front cover of the refrigerated air duct assembly. The foam front cover of the refrigerated air duct assembly has an opening for the connecting part 13 to pass through. Compared with the traditional solution of opening an opening in the foam of the refrigerated air duct for the double-layer mechanical damper to pass through, in this embodiment, the mechanical damper 30 is located in the air duct opened in the foam front cover of the refrigerated air duct assembly. Due to the setting of the connecting part 13, the connecting part 13 is smaller in width and volume than the mechanical damper 30. The opening opened in the foam front cover of the refrigerated air duct assembly for the connecting part 13 to pass through is smaller. The foam front cover of the refrigerated air duct assembly has better heat preservation and heat preservation effect. This results in a better seal between the mechanical damper 30 and the foam front cover, reducing cold loss and lowering the risk of the refrigerator temperature dropping below zero.
[0037] The mounting part 35 and the connecting part 13 can be detachably connected, such as by snap-fit or screw connection. The first heat insulation part 31 and the second heat insulation part 33 are respectively installed on opposite sides of the mounting part 35. The first heat insulation part 31 and the second heat insulation part 33 can be fixedly connected to the mounting part 35 or can be integrally formed.
[0038] like Figure 3 As shown, in one embodiment, the end of the connecting part 13 away from the actuating part 11 is provided with a hook structure 15, and the mounting part 35 is provided with a limiting protrusion 37 that cooperates with the hook structure 15 to restrict the mechanical damper 30 from moving in the first direction.
[0039] In this embodiment, the connecting part 13 and the mounting part 35 are engaged by a hook structure 15 and a limiting protrusion 37, making them detachable. Thus, during installation, the connecting part 13 can be inserted through the foam front cover of the refrigerated air duct assembly, and the mounting part 35 can be connected to the connecting part 13 extending from the foam front cover of the refrigerated air duct assembly. The mounting part is provided with a limiting protrusion 37 that engages with the hook structure 15 to restrict the movement of the mechanical damper 30 along a first direction. Specifically, the first direction is the direction away from the actuating member 10. Therefore, when the hook structure 15 abuts against the limiting protrusion 37, the mechanical damper 30 can move in the direction close to the actuating member 10, but cannot move in the direction away from the actuating member 10. Thus, when cold air passes through the duct, the mechanical damper 30 will always move close to the actuating member 10, thereby adhering tightly to the foam front cover of the refrigerated air duct assembly, minimizing airflow loss.
[0040] like Figures 7-9 As shown, in one embodiment, the limiting protrusion 37 is installed on the side of the mounting portion 35 away from the actuating portion 11 and extends along the side away from the actuating portion 11. The hook structure 15 has a guide slope 151 and a limiting surface 153. The limiting protrusion 37 includes a first sidewall 371 and a second sidewall 373. The first sidewall 371 is used to cooperate with the guide slope 151 to guide the connecting portion 13. The second sidewall 373 is used to cooperate with the limiting surface 153 to restrict the movement of the connecting portion 13 in a first direction.
[0041] In this implementation, such as Figure 9 As shown, the limiting protrusion 37 is installed on the side of the mounting portion 35 opposite to the actuating portion 11, and extends along the side opposite to the actuating portion 11. The limiting protrusion 37 is used to cooperate with the hook structure 15 to limit the position of the hook structure 15. Specifically, as shown... Figure 7 As shown, the hook structure 15 has a guide slope 151 and a limiting surface 153. The limiting protrusion 37 includes a first sidewall 371 and a second sidewall 373. The first sidewall 371 is used to cooperate with the guide slope 151 to guide the connecting part 13. Thus, the hook structure 15 can be guided by the first sidewall 371 and the guide slope 151. When the limiting surface 153 of the hook structure 15 abuts against the second sidewall 373, the second sidewall 373 is used to cooperate with the limiting surface 153 to restrict the movement of the connecting part 13 in the first direction.
[0042] like Figures 1-4As shown, this application embodiment also provides a refrigerated air duct assembly 300, which includes a foam front cover 301; and a mechanical damper assembly 100 as described in any of the above embodiments. The actuating part 11 is disposed on one side of the foam front cover 301, and an air duct 3010 is formed on the side of the foam front cover 301 away from the actuating part 11. The air duct 3010 extends along the length direction of the foam front cover 301, and the mechanical damper 100 is movably installed on the air duct 3010. The first heat insulation part 31 and the second heat insulation part 33 are arranged along the extension direction of the air duct 3010.
[0043] The refrigerated air duct assembly 300 includes a mechanical damper assembly 100 as described in any of the above embodiments. Since the refrigerated air duct assembly 300 includes the mechanical damper assembly 100 as described in any of the above embodiments, it also possesses the structure and effects of the mechanical damper assembly 100 as described in any of the above embodiments. The structure and beneficial effects of the mechanical damper assembly 100 have been explained above and will not be repeated here. The refrigerated air duct assembly 300 includes a foam front cover 301, which has an air duct and provides insulation. The actuating part 11 can be located on one side of the foam front cover 301. An air duct 3010 is formed on the side of the foam front cover 301 away from the actuating part 11. The air duct 3010 extends along the length of the foam front cover 301 and can guide airflow, allowing air to blow through the extending direction of the air duct 3010. The first insulation part 31 and the second insulation part 33 are arranged along the extending direction of the air duct 3010. Thus, air must pass through the first insulation section 31 and the second insulation section 33 before it can be transferred from the freezer compartment to the refrigerator compartment. The cold air is simultaneously blocked by the first insulation section 31 and the second insulation section 33, thereby reducing cold air loss and lowering the risk of the refrigerator compartment temperature falling below zero. The mechanical damper 100 is movably installed in the air duct 3010. By adjusting the mechanical damper 100, the airflow from the freezer compartment to the refrigerator compartment can be changed, thereby controlling the airflow through the refrigerator's air duct.
[0044] like Figure 3 As shown, in one embodiment, the foam front cover 301 is further provided with a first strip hole 3011 extending along the width direction of the foam front cover 301. The first strip hole 3011 communicates with the air duct 3010. The connecting part 13 passes through the first strip hole 3011 and can move along the first strip hole 3011 to drive the mechanical damper 100 to isolate or connect the air duct 3010.
[0045] In this embodiment, the foam front cover 301 is further provided with a first strip hole 3011 extending along the width direction of the foam front cover 301. The first strip hole 3011 communicates with the air duct 3010 and is used to install the connecting part 13. The connecting part 13 can pass through the first strip hole 3011 and can move along the first strip hole 3011 to drive the mechanical damper 100 to isolate or connect the air duct 3010.
[0046] like Figure 5 As shown, in one embodiment, the foam front cover 301 has a strip groove 3013 for accommodating the mechanical damper 100 on the side away from the actuating part 11. The strip groove 3013 extends along the width direction of the foam front cover 301 and communicates with the air duct 3010. The bottom wall of the strip groove 3013 has the first strip hole 3011.
[0047] In this embodiment, the foam front cover 301 has a strip groove 3013 on the side away from the actuating part 11 for accommodating the mechanical damper 100. The strip groove 3013 extends along the width direction of the foam front cover 301 and communicates with the air duct 3010. The mechanical damper 100 can move along the strip groove 3013 and can be moved from the strip groove 3013 into the air duct to block or open the air duct and adjust the airflow of the air duct. The bottom wall of the strip groove 3013 has a first strip hole 3011 for installing the connecting part 13. The connecting part 13 can pass through the first strip hole 3011 and can move along the first strip hole 3011, thereby driving the mechanical damper 100 to block or connect the air duct 3010.
[0048] In one embodiment, the length of the mechanical damper 100 is the same as the length of the strip groove 3013, and the length of the mechanical damper 100 is the same as the width of the air duct 3010.
[0049] In this embodiment, the length of the mechanical damper 100 is the same as the length of the strip groove 3013. When the mechanical damper 100 is completely within the strip groove 3013, the air duct is fully open. The length of the mechanical damper 100 is the same as the width of the air duct 3010. When the mechanical damper 100 is completely within the air duct 3010, the air duct is fully closed. Thus, by adjusting the position of the mechanical damper 100, the airflow of the air duct 3010 can be adjusted. In actual installations, the length of the mechanical damper 100 can also be less than the length of the strip groove 3013, and the length of the mechanical damper 100 can also be greater than the width of the air duct 3010.
[0050] like Figure 1As shown, in one embodiment, the refrigerated air duct assembly 300 further includes a cover plate 303, which covers the foam front cover 301 on the side near the actuating part 11. The cover plate 303 has a second strip-shaped hole 3031, and the actuating part 11 has a protrusion 111 on the side facing the cover plate 303. The protrusion 111 protrudes from the second strip-shaped hole 3031.
[0051] In this embodiment, the protrusion 111 protrudes from the second strip hole 3031. The extension direction of the second strip hole 3031 is the same as the extension direction of the strip groove 3013. By moving the protrusion 111, the moving part 11 and the connecting part 13 can be moved, thereby moving the mechanical damper 30, so as to achieve the effect of adjusting the air volume of the air duct 3010.
[0052] like Figure 1 As shown, in one embodiment, the refrigerated air duct assembly 300 further includes a foam back cover 305, which covers the foam front cover 301. The mechanical damper 100 is located between the foam back cover 305 and the foam front cover 301, and the foam back cover 305 and the mechanical damper 100 are spaced apart.
[0053] In this embodiment, the foam back cover 305 can increase the heat insulation effect, and the foam back cover 305 is spaced apart from the mechanical damper 100 to facilitate air passage. Furthermore, the foam back cover 305 may be provided with protrusions 3051, which cooperate with the grooves 3012 opened in the foam front cover 301 for installation.
[0054] This application also provides a refrigerator, which includes the refrigeration air duct assembly 300 described in any of the above embodiments. Since this refrigerator includes the refrigeration air duct assembly 300 as described in any of the above embodiments, it also possesses the structure and effects of the refrigeration air duct assembly 300 described in any of the above embodiments. The structure and beneficial effects of the refrigeration air duct assembly 300 have been explained above and will not be repeated here.
[0055] In the above embodiments, the descriptions of each embodiment have different focuses. For parts not described in detail in a certain embodiment, please refer to the relevant descriptions in other embodiments.
[0056] In the description of this application, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, features defined with "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more features.
[0057] The mechanical damper assembly, refrigerated air duct assembly, and refrigerator provided in the embodiments of this application have been described in detail above. Specific examples have been used to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of this application. The description of the above embodiments is only for the purpose of helping to understand the method and core ideas of this application. At the same time, for those skilled in the art, there will be changes in the specific implementation methods and application scope based on the ideas of this application. Therefore, the content of this specification should not be construed as a limitation of this application.
Claims
1. A mechanical damper assembly for controlling the airflow in a refrigerator's air duct, characterized in that, include: A toggle element includes a toggle part and a connecting part, wherein the connecting part is connected to the toggle part; A mechanical damper includes a first insulation part, a second insulation part, and a mounting part. The mounting part is connected to the side of the connecting part away from the actuating part. The first insulation part and the second insulation part are installed at intervals on the side of the mounting part away from the connecting part. The first insulation part and the second insulation part are arranged along the extension direction of the air duct.
2. The mechanical damper assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The connecting part has a hook structure protruding at one end away from the actuating part, and the mounting part has a limiting protrusion that cooperates with the hook structure to restrict the movement of the mechanical damper along a first direction; wherein, the first direction is the direction away from the actuating member.
3. The mechanical damper assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that, The limiting protrusion is installed on the side of the mounting part away from the actuating part and extends along the side away from the actuating part. The hook structure has a guide slope and a limiting surface. The limiting protrusion includes a first sidewall and a second sidewall. The first sidewall is used to cooperate with the guide slope to guide the connecting part, and the second sidewall is used to cooperate with the limiting surface to restrict the movement of the connecting part in the first direction.
4. A refrigerated air duct assembly, characterized in that, include: Foam front cover; as well as According to any one of claims 1-3, the actuating part is disposed on one side of the foam front cover, and an air duct is provided on the side of the foam front cover away from the actuating part. The air duct extends along the length direction of the foam front cover, the mechanical damper is movably installed in the air duct, and the first heat insulation part and the second heat insulation part are arranged along the extension direction of the air duct.
5. The refrigerated air duct assembly according to claim 4, characterized in that, The foam front cover also has a first strip-shaped hole extending along the width direction of the foam front cover. The first strip-shaped hole communicates with the air duct. The connecting part passes through the first strip-shaped hole and can move along the first strip-shaped hole to drive the mechanical damper to isolate or connect the air duct.
6. The refrigerated air duct assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that, The foam front cover has a strip groove on the side away from the actuating part for accommodating the mechanical damper. The strip groove extends along the width direction of the foam front cover and communicates with the air duct. The bottom wall of the strip groove has the first strip hole.
7. The refrigerated air duct assembly according to claim 6, characterized in that, The length of the mechanical damper is the same as the length of the strip groove, and the length of the mechanical damper is the same as the width of the air duct.
8. The refrigerated air duct assembly according to claim 7, characterized in that, The refrigerated air duct assembly also includes a cover plate, which covers the foam front cover on the side near the actuating part. The cover plate has a second strip-shaped hole, and the actuating part has a protrusion on the side facing the cover plate, which protrudes from the second strip-shaped hole.
9. The refrigerated air duct assembly according to claim 8, characterized in that, The refrigerated air duct assembly also includes a foam rear cover, which is disposed on the foam front cover. The mechanical damper is located between the foam rear cover and the foam front cover, and the foam rear cover and the mechanical damper are spaced apart.
10. A refrigerator, characterized in that, Includes the refrigerated air duct assembly as described in any one of claims 4 to 9.