Refrigerator

Abstract

The present application relates to a refrigerator, comprising: a cabinet, a first storage compartment and a second storage compartment are defined in the cabinet, a first cooling chamber and a second cooling chamber are respectively located adjacent to the first storage compartment and the second storage compartment below; a first evaporator and a second evaporator are respectively arranged in the first cooling chamber and the second cooling chamber. The first storage compartment and the first cooling chamber are communicated through a first air supply port located at the rear side of the first storage compartment and a first return air port located at the front side of the bottom of the cabinet, so as to allow cooling air to flow into the first storage compartment through the first air supply port and return air to flow into the first cooling chamber through the first return air port; the second storage compartment and the second cooling chamber are communicated through a second air supply port located at the rear side of the second storage compartment and a second return air port located at the front side of the bottom of the cabinet, so as to allow cooling air to flow into the second storage compartment through the second air supply port and return air to flow into the second cooling chamber through the second return air port.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to refrigeration and freezing technology, and in particular to a refrigerator. Background Technology

[0002] In daily life, people mainly use refrigerators to refrigerate and store food. In existing T-type refrigerators, the evaporator and air ducts are mostly located at the back. The fan drives the air flowing through the evaporator out through the air outlet, and after cooling the items inside the refrigerator, it returns to the evaporator through the return air vent. Since both the air outlet and return air vent are located at the back, the resulting airflow circulation range is relatively small. The air delivered from the outlet forms turbulence, blowing directly onto the items inside the refrigerator, causing uneven cooling and hindering both cooling and preservation. This problem is more pronounced in the freezer and variable temperature compartments because the air outlet temperature in these compartments is lower than in the refrigerator compartment, making the negative effects of this direct airflow more noticeable on the stored food. Summary of the Invention

[0003] One object of the present invention is to overcome at least one defect of the prior art and to provide a refrigerator with dual bottom-mounted evaporators and more uniform cooling of the storage compartment.

[0004] A further objective of this invention is to prevent frost blockage at the return air inlet.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a refrigerator comprising:

[0006] The box body defines a first storage compartment and a second storage compartment arranged side by side and spaced apart in the lateral direction of the box body, as well as a first cooling compartment and a second cooling compartment arranged side by side and spaced apart in the lateral direction of the box body, wherein the first cooling compartment and the second cooling compartment are respectively located adjacent to each other below the first storage compartment and the second storage compartment;

[0007] A first evaporator and a second evaporator are respectively disposed in the first cooling chamber and the second cooling chamber, and configured to provide cooling capacity to the first storage chamber and the second storage chamber, respectively; wherein

[0008] The first storage compartment and the first cooling compartment are connected by a first air supply vent located at the rear of the first storage compartment and a first return air vent located at the front of the bottom of the housing, so as to allow the cooling airflow in the first cooling compartment to flow into the first storage compartment through the first air supply vent and allow the return airflow in the first storage compartment to flow into the first cooling compartment through the first return air vent; the second storage compartment and the second cooling compartment are connected by a second air supply vent located at the rear of the second storage compartment and a second return air vent located at the front of the bottom of the housing, so as to allow the cooling airflow in the second cooling compartment to flow into the second storage compartment through the second air supply vent and allow the return airflow in the second storage compartment to flow into the second cooling compartment through the second return air vent.

[0009] Optionally, the enclosure further defines a third storage compartment located above the first and second storage compartments, and a third cooling compartment located behind the third storage compartment; and

[0010] The refrigerator also includes a third evaporator disposed in the third cooling chamber, the third evaporator being configured to provide cooling capacity to the third storage compartment.

[0011] Optionally, the first storage compartment and the first cooling compartment are separated by a first cover plate, and the second storage compartment and the second cooling compartment are separated by a second cover plate;

[0012] Both the first cover plate and the second cover plate include a transverse section extending from back to front and a vertical section extending obliquely forward from the front end of the transverse section from top to bottom;

[0013] The first cooling chamber is located on the rear side of the vertical section of the first cover plate, and the first return air vent includes a first rear return air vent opened on the vertical section of the first cover plate.

[0014] The second cooling chamber is located on the rear side of the vertical section of the second cover plate, and the second return air vent includes a second rear return air vent opened on the vertical section of the second cover plate.

[0015] Optionally, the refrigerator further includes:

[0016] A first return air hood is disposed on the front side of the first cover plate, and includes a first transverse hood plate extending from the rear to the front of the transverse section of the first cover plate and a first vertical hood plate extending downward from the front end of the first transverse hood plate; and

[0017] The second return air hood is disposed on the front side of the second cover plate, and includes a second transverse hood plate extending from the rear to the front of the transverse section of the second cover plate and a second vertical hood plate extending downward from the front end of the second transverse hood plate; wherein

[0018] The first return air vent also includes a first front return air vent opened on the first vertical cover plate, and the second return air vent also includes a second front return air vent opened on the second vertical cover plate.

[0019] Optionally, there are multiple first front return air vents and multiple second front return air vents, with multiple first front return air vents arranged at intervals in the vertical direction and multiple second front return air vents arranged at intervals in the vertical direction; each first front return air vent and each second front return air vent is a horizontally extending strip-shaped air vent.

[0020] There are multiple first and second rear return air vents. Multiple first rear return air vents are arranged at intervals in the horizontal direction, and multiple second rear return air vents are arranged at intervals in the horizontal direction. Each first rear return air vent and each second rear return air vent is a vertically extending strip-shaped vent.

[0021] Optionally, both the front side of the vertical section of the first cover plate and the front side of the vertical section of the second cover plate are provided with forward-protruding guide ribs; and

[0022] The guide rib extends downward or bends downward from the transverse middle of the vertical section in which it is located toward both transverse sides of the vertical section.

[0023] Optionally, the housing further defines a compressor compartment located at its bottom;

[0024] The refrigerator also includes:

[0025] The compressor and cooling fan are located inside the compressor compartment;

[0026] A duct assembly for mounting the cooling fan extends along the depth direction of the housing to divide the space inside the compressor compartment into two horizontally parallel sub-spaces, with the compressor located in one of the sub-spaces;

[0027] A first drain pipe and a second drain pipe extend from the first cooling chamber and the second cooling chamber, respectively, to two sub-spaces of the compressor compartment; and

[0028] An evaporating dish, disposed within the compressor compartment, has a first receiving area for receiving condensate discharged from the first drain pipe, a second receiving area for receiving condensate discharged from the second drain pipe, and a connecting channel connecting the first receiving area and the second receiving area; and

[0029] The connecting channel passes through the air duct assembly.

[0030] Optionally, the second accommodating area and the connecting channel are at a higher vertical height than the first accommodating area, so that after the evaporating dish is installed on the bottom plate of the refrigerator, the second accommodating area and the connecting channel are both suspended above the bottom plate.

[0031] The bottom wall of the second accommodating region extends downward at an angle from the second accommodating region toward the first accommodating region.

[0032] Optionally, the air duct assembly has an avoidance notch, and the connecting flow channel passes through the avoidance notch;

[0033] The bottom outer side of the connecting channel is provided with a downward protruding support seat, which is supported on the base plate and configured to block the flow surface of the avoidance gap located below the connecting channel.

[0034] Optionally, a first water receiving tray is formed at the bottom of the first cooling chamber, the first water receiving tray is surrounded by a plurality of first inclined portions, the bottoms of the plurality of first inclined portions intersect, and a first drain outlet is provided at the intersection; a second water receiving tray is formed at the bottom of the second cooling chamber, the second water receiving tray is surrounded by a plurality of second inclined portions, the bottoms of the plurality of second inclined portions intersect, and a second drain outlet is provided at the intersection.

[0035] Optionally, a first air duct assembly is provided on the rear side of the first storage compartment. The interior of the first air duct assembly defines a first air supply duct that communicates with the first cooling chamber. The first air outlet is located on the front side of the first air duct assembly.

[0036] The second storage compartment is provided with a second air duct assembly at the rear. The interior of the second air duct assembly defines a second air supply duct that communicates with the second cooling chamber. The second air outlet is located at the front of the second air duct assembly.

[0037] Optionally, both the first evaporator and the second evaporator are inclined upwards from front to back;

[0038] The first cooling chamber is also provided with a first air supply fan located behind the first evaporator, and the second cooling chamber is also provided with a second air supply fan located behind the second evaporator.

[0039] The refrigerator of this invention includes two bottom-mounted cooling chambers, each equipped with an evaporator to provide cooling to the storage compartment above it. This dual bottom-mounted evaporator maximizes the storage compartment volume of the wide refrigerator. Furthermore, each storage compartment is connected to the cooling chamber below it via an air inlet at the rear of the storage compartment and a return air inlet at the front of the bottom of the refrigerator body. Thus, cooling airflow from the cooling chamber is blown forward into the storage compartment through the air inlet. The cooling airflow naturally descends from top to bottom and front to back within the storage compartment. The airflow flowing through almost the entire storage compartment forms a return airflow at the front bottom of the storage compartment and returns to the cooling chamber via the return air inlet at the front bottom of the refrigerator body. Therefore, the cooling airflow delivered through the air inlet is approximately parallel, avoiding direct airflow and resulting in more uniform cooling of the storage compartment.

[0040] Furthermore, this invention designs the rear return air vent on the cover plate as a vertically extending strip-shaped vent, which facilitates the downward flow of condensate along the edge of the strip-shaped vent, increasing the speed at which the condensate flows down. Additionally, the front side of the vertical section of the cover plate is provided with forward-protruding guide ribs, which extend downwards or bends from the center outwards. When condensate encounters the guide ribs, it flows along the guide ribs to the lateral sides of the vertical section, and then to the bottom wall of the inner liner, effectively preventing condensate flowing down from above the cover plate from adhering to the rear return air vent and causing icing or frost. Moreover, return airflow passes through both the upper and lower parts of the guide ribs, preventing large-area localized frost formation.

[0041] 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

[0042] 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:

[0043] Figure 1 This is a schematic structural diagram of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0044] Figure 2 This is an exploded view of a partial structure of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0045] Figure 3 It is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the cutting line AA in 1;

[0046] Figure 4 It is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the cutting line BB in 1;

[0047] Figure 5 This is an exploded view of a partial structure of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0048] Figure 6 This is a schematic structural diagram of a first inner liner and a second inner liner according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0049] Figure 7 This is a schematic structural diagram of the assembled air duct assembly and evaporating dish according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0050] Figure 8 This is a schematic exploded view of the air duct assembly and evaporating dish according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0051] This invention first provides a refrigerator, Figure 1 This is a schematic structural diagram of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 This is an exploded view of a partial structure of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 This is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along section line AA in section 1. Figure 4 This is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along section line BB in section 1. See also Figures 1 to 4 The refrigerator 1 of the present invention includes a cabinet 10, a first evaporator 21 and a second evaporator 22.

[0052] The enclosure 10 defines a first storage compartment 111 and a second storage compartment 121 arranged side-by-side and spaced apart in the lateral direction of the enclosure 10, and a first cooling compartment 112 and a second cooling compartment 122 arranged side-by-side and spaced apart in the lateral direction of the enclosure 10. The first cooling compartment 112 and the second cooling compartment 122 are respectively located adjacent to each other below the first storage compartment 111 and the second storage compartment 121. That is to say, the first cooling compartment 112 and the second cooling compartment 122 are both cooling compartments located at the bottom of the enclosure 10.

[0053] The first evaporator 21 and the second evaporator 22 are respectively disposed in the first cooling chamber 112 and the second cooling chamber 122, and are configured to provide cooling capacity to the first storage chamber 111 and the second storage chamber 121 respectively. In other words, the first evaporator 21 and the second evaporator 22 are both evaporators with their bottoms placed in the housing 10.

[0054] The first storage compartment 111 and the first cooling compartment 112 are connected by a first air outlet 711 located at the rear of the first storage compartment 111 and a first return air outlet located at the front of the bottom of the housing 10, so as to allow the cooling airflow in the first cooling compartment 112 to flow into the first storage compartment 111 through the first air outlet 711, and to allow the return airflow in the first storage compartment 111 to flow into the first cooling compartment 112 through the first return air outlet. Similarly, the second storage compartment 121 and the second cooling compartment 122 are connected by a second air outlet located at the rear of the second storage compartment 121 and a second return air outlet located at the front of the bottom of the housing 10, so as to allow the cooling airflow in the second cooling compartment 122 to flow into the second storage compartment 121 through the second air outlet, and to allow the return airflow in the second storage compartment 121 to flow into the second cooling compartment 122 through the second return air outlet.

[0055] The refrigerator of this invention includes two bottom-mounted cooling chambers, each equipped with an evaporator to provide cooling to the storage compartment above it. This dual bottom-mounted evaporator maximizes the storage compartment volume of the wider refrigerator. Furthermore, each storage compartment is connected to the cooling chamber below it via an air inlet at the rear of the storage compartment and a return air inlet at the front of the bottom of the refrigerator body. Thus, cooling airflow from the cooling chamber can be blown forward into the corresponding storage compartment through the air inlet. The cooling airflow naturally descends from top to bottom and front to back within the storage compartment. The airflow flowing through almost the entire storage compartment forms a return airflow at the front bottom of the storage compartment and returns to the cooling chamber through the return air inlet at the front bottom of the refrigerator body. Therefore, the cooling airflow delivered through the air inlet in this invention is approximately parallel, avoiding direct airflow and resulting in more uniform cooling of the storage compartment.

[0056] Specifically, the first storage compartment 111 and the first cooling compartment 112 are defined inside the first inner liner 11 and are located at the upper and lower parts of the first inner liner 11, respectively. The second storage compartment 121 and the second cooling compartment 122 are defined inside the second inner liner 12 and are located at the upper and lower parts of the second inner liner 12, respectively. The first inner liner 11 and the second inner liner 12 are independent of each other; therefore, the first storage compartment 111 and the second storage compartment 121 are independent of each other, and the first cooling compartment 112 and the second cooling compartment 122 are independent of each other.

[0057] Specifically, a first air duct assembly 71 is provided at the rear of the first storage compartment 111. The interior of the first air duct assembly defines a first air supply duct that communicates with the first cooling chamber 112, and a first air outlet 711 is located at the front of the first air duct assembly 71. A second air duct assembly 72 is provided at the rear of the second storage compartment 121. The interior of the second air duct assembly 72 defines a second air supply duct that communicates with the second cooling chamber 122, and a second air outlet 721 is located at the front of the second air duct assembly 72.

[0058] Furthermore, the electrical control terminals and refrigerant connectors associated with the first storage compartment 11 are located on the lateral sides of the first air duct assembly 71, and the electrical control terminals and refrigerant connectors associated with the second storage compartment 12 are located on the lateral sides of the second air duct assembly 72.

[0059] Specifically, both the first evaporator 21 and the second evaporator 22 are inclined upwards from front to back. The first cooling chamber 112 is also equipped with a first air supply fan 23 located behind the first evaporator 21, and the second cooling chamber 122 is also equipped with a second air supply fan 24 located behind the second evaporator 22.

[0060] In some embodiments, the cabinet 10 further defines a third storage compartment 171 located above the first storage compartment 111 and the second storage compartment 121, and a third cooling compartment 172 located behind the third storage compartment 171. The refrigerator 1 also includes a third evaporator 25 disposed in the third cooling compartment 172, the third evaporator 25 being configured to provide cooling capacity to the third storage compartment 171.

[0061] Specifically, the first storage compartment 111 and the second storage compartment 121 can be a freezer compartment and a variable temperature compartment, respectively. Specifically, the temperature of the first storage compartment 111 is typically between -24°C and -14°C, while the temperature of the second storage compartment 111 can be adjusted arbitrarily between -24°C and 8°C. The third storage compartment 171 can be a refrigerator compartment, with a temperature typically between 2°C and 10°C.

[0062] In some embodiments, the first storage compartment 111 and the first cooling compartment 112 are separated by a first cover plate 31, and the second storage compartment 121 and the second cooling compartment 122 are separated by a second cover plate 32. See also Figure 5The exploded view of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention shows that the first cover plate 31 includes a transverse section 311 extending from rear to front and a vertical section 312 extending obliquely forward from the front end of the transverse section 311. The second cover plate 32 includes a transverse section 321 extending from rear to front and a vertical section 322 extending obliquely forward from the front end of the transverse section 321. The first cooling chamber 112 is located behind the vertical section 312 of the first cover plate 31, and the first return air vent includes a first rear return air vent 3121 formed on the vertical section of the first cover plate 31. The second cooling chamber 122 is located behind the vertical section 322 of the second cover plate 32, and the second return air vent includes a second rear return air vent 3221 formed on the vertical section 322 of the second cover plate 32. Therefore, the condensate at the first rear return air vent 3121 flows promptly along the vertical section 312 to the bottom of the first cooling chamber 112 under its own gravity, and finally flows to the drip tray or other water collection structure at the bottom of the first cooling chamber 112; the condensate at the second rear return air vent 3221 flows promptly along the vertical section 322 to the bottom of the second cooling chamber 122 under its own gravity, and finally flows to the drip tray or other water collection structure at the bottom of the second cooling chamber 122. Therefore, condensate is less likely to accumulate at the first rear return air vent 3121 and the second rear return air vent 3221, thus preventing icing or frost formation.

[0063] Existing refrigerators with bottom-mounted evaporators and cooling compartments also use a cover to separate the cooling compartment and the storage compartment. However, the cover in current technology only has horizontal sections and no vertical sections. A return air hood must be installed on the front side of the cover to keep the cooling compartment out of the user's view. When condensation occurs in the storage compartment, the condensate drips onto the cover or the return air hood. Condensate dripping onto the cover drips into the cooling compartment through the gap between the cover and the return air hood, easily dripping onto the evaporator and causing severe frost buildup. Condensate dripping onto the return air hood flows directly out of the refrigerator, affecting the user experience.

[0064] The cover plate of the present invention has both a horizontal section and a vertical section, which is equivalent to the horizontal section and the vertical section being a seamlessly connected integral piece. This facilitates the direct flow of condensate dripping from the storage compartment above the horizontal section along the inclined vertical section to the bottom wall of the cooling chamber, without flowing out of the box 10 and affecting the user experience or dripping onto the evaporator and causing severe frost buildup.

[0065] Furthermore, there are multiple first and second rear return air vents 3121 and 3221, with the multiple first rear return air vents 3121 arranged at intervals in the horizontal direction and the multiple second rear return air vents 3221 arranged at intervals in the horizontal direction. Each first rear return air vent 3121 and each second rear return air vent 3221 is a vertically extending strip-shaped vent. That is, the first grid strips 3122 used to separate two adjacent first rear return air vents 3121 all extend vertically, consistent with the condensate flow trend on the vertical section 312; the second grid strips 3222 used to separate two adjacent second rear return air vents 3221 all extend vertically, consistent with the condensate flow trend on the vertical section 322. Therefore, condensate will hardly stagnate on the first and second grid bars 3122 and 3222, which is conducive to the condensate flowing downwards more quickly along the first and second grid bars 3122 and 3222. This increases the speed at which the condensate flows downwards and more effectively avoids the accumulation of condensate at the first and second rear return air inlets 3121, which would otherwise cause icing or frost.

[0066] Specifically, the width of the first rear air return vent 3121 and the second rear air return vent 3221 is preferably less than 5mm to prevent child users from sticking their fingers in.

[0067] In some embodiments, the refrigerator 1 further includes a first return air hood 41 and a second return air hood 42. The first return air hood 41 is disposed on the front side of the first cover plate 31 and includes a first transverse cover plate 411 extending from rear to front from the transverse section 311 of the first cover plate 31 and a first vertical cover plate 412 extending downward from the front end of the first transverse cover plate 411. The second return air hood 42 is disposed on the front side of the second cover plate 32 and includes a second transverse cover plate 421 extending from rear to front from the transverse section 321 of the second cover plate 32 and a second vertical cover plate 422 extending downward from the front end of the second transverse cover plate 421. The first return air vent further includes a first front return air vent 4121 formed on the first vertical cover plate 412, and the second return air vent further includes a second front return air vent 4221 formed on the second vertical cover plate 422. In other words, the return airflow in the first storage room 111 flows into the first cooling room 112 after passing through the first front return air inlet 4121 and the first rear return air inlet 3121 in sequence; the return airflow in the second storage room 121 flows into the second cooling room 122 after passing through the second front return air inlet 4221 and the second rear return air inlet 3221 in sequence.

[0068] Furthermore, the first vertical cover plate 412 and the vertical section 312 of the first cover plate 31 are spaced apart to define a first return air space 51 between the first return air cover 41, the vertical section 312 of the first cover plate 31, and the bottom wall and two transverse side walls of the first inner liner 11. The second vertical cover plate 422 and the vertical section 322 of the second cover plate 32 are spaced apart to define a second return air space 52 between the second return air cover 42, the vertical section 322 of the second cover plate 32, and the bottom wall and two transverse side walls of the second inner liner 12.

[0069] It is understandable that the return airflow from the first storage chamber 111 to the first cooling chamber 112, and the airflow from the second storage chamber 121 to the second cooling chamber 122, must undergo a reversal process. The first return air space 51 and the second return air space 52 provide buffer spaces for the reversal and stabilization of the return airflow, resulting in lower flow resistance. The return airflow flows through the return air space with lower flow resistance before flowing into the cooling chamber, avoiding a significant impact of reversal on the return airflow velocity. Furthermore, the moisture in the return airflow can condense in advance at the front return air inlet, the return air space, and the rear return air inlet, reducing the moisture condensed on the evaporator and thus alleviating the frost formation on the evaporator.

[0070] It is understandable that for refrigerator 1 with a smaller depth, a cover plate is sufficient to separate the storage compartment and the cooling compartment, allowing them to connect via a return air vent, without the need for a return air hood. For refrigerator 1 with a larger depth, a return air hood is required on the front side of the cover plate, which also serves the purpose of separating the storage compartment 111 and the cooling compartment 112, allowing them to connect via a return air vent. Therefore, the cover plate of this invention has strong versatility, is suitable for refrigerators of different sizes, and saves on mold costs.

[0071] Furthermore, the return air hood provided on the front side of the cover plate can also serve a decorative purpose, unifying the front appearance of the first storage compartment 111 and the second storage compartment 121. Thus, even if the structures of the first cover plate 31 and the second cover plate 32 are different, or if the depth dimensions of the first cooling compartment 112 and the second cooling compartment 122 are different due to the size of the first evaporator 21 and the second evaporator 22 or other reasons, it can still ensure that the first storage compartment 111 and the second storage compartment 121 have a consistent front appearance.

[0072] Furthermore, there are multiple first front return air vents 4121 and multiple second front return air vents 4221. The multiple first front return air vents 4121 are arranged at intervals in the vertical direction, and the multiple second front return air vents 4221 are arranged at intervals in the vertical direction. Each first front return air vent 4121 and each second front return air vent 4221 is a horizontally extending strip-shaped air vent.

[0073] In some embodiments, the front side of the vertical section 312 of the first cover plate 31 is provided with a forward-protruding first guide rib 3123, and the front side of the vertical section 322 of the second cover plate 32 is provided with a forward-protruding second guide rib 3223. The first guide rib 3123 extends downward or bends downward from the lateral center of the vertical section 312 to the lateral sides of the vertical section 312; the second guide rib 3223 extends downward or bends downward from the lateral center of the vertical section 322 to the lateral sides of the vertical section 322.

[0074] When the condensate flowing from top to bottom on the vertical section 312 encounters the first guide rib 3123, it can flow along the first guide rib 3123 to the horizontal sides of the vertical section 312, and then flow to the bottom wall of the first inner liner 11. This part of the condensate will not flow through the area below the first guide rib 3123 of the first rear return air vent 3121, reducing the amount of condensate adhering to the first rear return air vent 3121, thereby reducing the amount of ice or frost generated at the first rear return air vent 3121, and even avoiding the problem of ice or frost generated at the first rear return air vent 3121. Furthermore, the first guide rib 3123 extends downwards from the center to both sides, which not only facilitates the rapid flow of condensate but also ensures that at least most sections of the first guide rib 3123 are within the airflow path of the first rear return air inlet 3121. This ensures that return airflow passes above and below at least most sections of the first guide rib 3123, preventing large-area localized frost formation at the first guide rib 3123. Similarly, it also prevents icing or frosting at the second rear return air inlet 3221 and large-area localized frost formation at the second guide rib 3223, which will not be elaborated further here.

[0075] Furthermore, the middle of the first guide rib 3123 is adjacent to the top of the vertical section 312, and both ends of the first guide rib 3123 are adjacent to the middle of the vertical section 312 in the vertical direction, so that the first guide rib 3123 is located at the upper part of the vertical section 312. On the one hand, the flow path of condensate on the first grid bar 3122 is shortened as much as possible, thereby minimizing the amount of condensate adhering to the first rear return air inlet 3121; on the other hand, the first guide rib 3123 has sufficient inclination or curvature to allow condensate to flow down from the first guide rib 3123 as quickly as possible, avoiding frost or ice formation at the first guide rib 3123. Similarly, the middle part of the second guide rib 3223 is adjacent to the top of the vertical section 322, and both ends of the second guide rib 3223 are adjacent to the middle of the vertical section 322 in the vertical direction, so that the second guide rib 3223 is located at the top of the vertical section 322. Its technical effect is the same as that of the first guide rib 3123, and will not be described again here.

[0076] Figure 6This is a schematic structural diagram of a first inner liner and a second inner liner according to an embodiment of the present invention. In some embodiments, a first water receiving tray 113 is formed at the bottom of the first cooling chamber 112, that is, the first water receiving tray 113 is formed on the bottom wall of the first inner liner 11 below the first evaporator 21. The first water receiving tray 113 is surrounded by a plurality of first inclined portions, the bottoms of the plurality of first inclined portions intersect, and a first drain outlet 114 is provided at the intersection. A second water receiving tray 123 is formed at the bottom of the second cooling chamber 122, that is, the second water receiving tray 123 is formed on the bottom wall of the second inner liner 12 below the second evaporator 22. The second water receiving tray 123 is surrounded by a plurality of second inclined portions, the bottoms of the plurality of second inclined portions intersect, and a second drain outlet 124 is provided at the intersection.

[0077] The refrigerator body 10 of the present invention defines two horizontally spaced cooling chambers to provide cooling capacity to two bottom storage compartments respectively. Compared to a single cooling chamber, the width of each cooling chamber in the present invention is significantly reduced in the horizontal direction. Furthermore, the drip tray at the bottom of each cooling chamber is formed by multiple inclined portions, with a drain outlet located at the intersection of the bottoms of these inclined portions. Thus, under the same height constraint, the inclined portions forming the drip tray of the present invention have a higher degree of inclination, which facilitates the faster flow of condensate or defrost water generated by the evaporator along the inclined portions to the drain outlet, thereby avoiding the problem of frost blockage caused by evaporation.

[0078] Furthermore, the plurality of first inclined portions include a first rearward inclined portion inclined downward from rear to front, a first frontward inclined portion inclined downward from front to rear, and a first leftward inclined portion and a first rightward inclined portion inclined downward from the left and right sides towards the middle of the lateral direction, respectively. The plurality of second inclined portions include a second rearward inclined portion inclined downward from rear to front, a second frontward inclined portion inclined downward from front to rear, and a second leftward inclined portion and a second rightward inclined portion inclined downward from the left and right sides towards the middle of the lateral direction, respectively. In other words, both the first water receiving tray 113 and the second water receiving tray 123 are funnel-shaped components formed by four inclined portions from top to bottom, which converge from the front, back, left and right. On the one hand, they can effectively collect the condensate generated by the first evaporator 21 and dripping onto any position of the first water receiving tray 113 to the first drain outlet 114, and collect the condensate generated by the second evaporator 22 and dripping onto any position of the second water receiving tray 123 to the second drain outlet 124. On the other hand, compared with the inverted conical water receiving tray, the water receiving tray of the present invention, which is surrounded by inclined portions in four directions, is more conducive to the installation and support of the evaporator.

[0079] Specifically, the two inclined portions on the left and right sides of the first water receiving tray 113 and the second water receiving tray 123 extend in a curved manner, and the inclination of the two inclined portions gradually increases in the direction towards the drain outlet at their bottom. This slows down the flow rate of condensate water away from the drain outlet area and increases the flow rate of condensate water near the drain outlet area towards the drain outlet, thereby preventing condensate water from accumulating at the drain outlet and further improving the condensate water discharge efficiency. The two inclined portions on the front and rear sides of the first water receiving tray 113 and the second water receiving tray 123 can extend straight or curved.

[0080] In some embodiments, both the first guide rib 3123 and the second guide rib 3223 extend upwards at an incline from back to front. Consequently, the condensate on the first guide rib 3123 and the second guide rib 3223 tends to flow laterally and backwards. Even when there is a large amount of condensate on the first guide rib 3123 and the second guide rib 3223, the condensate will not overflow forward from the first guide rib 3123 and the second guide rib 3223. Instead, it flows along the first guide rib 3123 and the second guide rib 3223, or along the first grid and the second grid, respectively, to the bottom wall of the first inner liner 11 located behind the vertical section 312 and the bottom wall of the second inner liner 12 located behind the vertical section 322, i.e., to the first water receiving tray 113 and the second water receiving tray 123, facilitating the discharge of the condensate through the drain outlet at the bottom of the water receiving tray.

[0081] Specifically, the angle between the first guide rib 3123 and the second guide rib 3223 and the horizontal plane is preferably greater than 7°.

[0082] In some embodiments, the first cover plate 31 and the first inner liner 11, as well as the second cover plate 32 and the second inner liner 12, are connected by a snap-fit ​​mechanism. Even if the overlap between the cover plate and the inner liner is narrow, or even if the overlap is eliminated, it will not affect the assembly between the cover plate and the inner liner. Therefore, the fixing method between the cover plate and the inner liner of the present invention is more reasonable and more suitable for refrigerators with double bottom-mounted evaporators and double inner liners.

[0083] Furthermore, the first cover plate 31 includes two first side flanges 313 forming its lateral sides. The two first side flanges 313 overlap with two first ribs 115 located on the lateral sides of the first inner liner 11, so as to provide auxiliary support for the first cover plate 31 through the first ribs 115. The second cover plate 32 includes two second side flanges 323 forming its lateral sides. The two second side flanges 323 overlap with two second ribs 125 located on the lateral sides of the second inner liner 12, so as to provide auxiliary support for the second cover plate 32 through the second ribs 125. The first ribs 115 and the second ribs 125 have inclined sections extending at an angle, and the first side flanges 313 and the second side flanges 323 also have matching inclined sections to increase the size of the ribs and the side flanges, facilitating the installation of fasteners for auxiliary connection.

[0084] In some embodiments, the cabinet 10 further defines a compressor compartment 13, a fan duct assembly 60, a first drain pipe 81, a second drain pipe 82, and an evaporating dish 90 located at its bottom. The refrigerator 1 also includes a compressor 51 and a cooling fan 52 disposed within the compressor compartment 13. The fan duct assembly 60 is used to mount the cooling fan 52 and extends along the depth direction of the cabinet 10 to divide the space within the compressor compartment 13 into two laterally adjacent sub-spaces, in which the compressor 51 is located. The first drain pipe 81 and the second drain pipe 82 extend from the first cooling chamber 112 and the second cooling chamber 122 to the two sub-spaces of the compressor compartment 13, respectively.

[0085] Figure 7 This is a schematic structural diagram of the assembled air duct assembly and evaporating dish according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 8 This is a schematic exploded view of the air duct assembly and evaporating dish according to an embodiment of the present invention. See also Figure 7 and Figure 8 The evaporating dish 90 is disposed within the compressor compartment 13 and has a first receiving area 91 for receiving condensate discharged from the first drain pipe 81, a second receiving area 92 for receiving condensate discharged from the second drain pipe 82, and a connecting channel 93 connecting the first receiving area 91 and the second receiving area 92. The connecting channel 93 passes through the air duct assembly 60.

[0086] The air duct assembly 60 of the present invention divides the compressor compartment 13 into left and right parts, and the two receiving areas of the evaporating dish 90 are respectively located in the left and right parts, so as to receive the condensate discharged by the two drain pipes extending to the two parts respectively. Neither drain pipe needs to be designed with a particularly complex curved shape, which reduces the design and assembly difficulty of the drain pipe.

[0087] Due to the presence of compressor 51, the remaining space in the two sub-spaces of compressor compartment 13 separated by air duct assembly 60 will inevitably differ. The sub-space with compressor 51 has less remaining space, while the sub-space further away from compressor 51 has more remaining space. Therefore, the first accommodating region 91 is located on the side of air duct assembly 90 away from compressor 51, and the second accommodating region 92 is located on the same side of cylinder assembly 60 as compressor 51. The cross-sectional area of ​​the first accommodating region 91 is larger than that of the second accommodating region 92, so as to make full use of the remaining space in compressor compartment 13 to arrange a larger-capacity evaporating dish 90 without causing structural interference, thereby improving the evaporating dish 90's ability to receive condensate.

[0088] Furthermore, the second receiving area 92 and the connecting flow channel 93 are vertically higher than the first receiving area 91, so that after the evaporating dish 90 is installed on the base plate 14 of the refrigerator 1, both the second receiving area 92 and the connecting flow channel 93 are suspended above the base plate 14. Therefore, the condensate received by the second receiving area 92 tends to flow towards the first receiving area 91. Thus, the volume requirement for the second receiving area 92 is lower; that is, the volume of the second receiving area 92 does not need to be large to effectively receive condensate. This is very suitable for placement in a small area within the compressor compartment 13 adjacent to the compressor 51. Therefore, the evaporating dish 90 of the present invention is very suitable for refrigerators with a dual drainage system, solving the thorny problem of condensate drainage commonly found in existing refrigerators of this type.

[0089] Furthermore, the bottom wall of the second accommodating region 92 extends downwards at an angle from the second accommodating region 92 to the first accommodating region 91, which facilitates the faster flow of condensate in the second accommodating region 92 to the first accommodating region 91, and avoids the accumulation of too much condensate in the smaller second accommodating region 92.

[0090] In some embodiments, the air duct assembly 60 has an clearance notch 621, and the connecting channel 93 passes through the clearance notch 621. The bottom outer side of the connecting channel 93 has a downwardly protruding support seat 94, which is supported on the base plate 14 to provide stable support for the suspended connecting channel 93 and the second receiving area 92, thereby improving the structural stability of the evaporating dish 90 and extending its service life.

[0091] Because the connecting channel 93 is suspended, a gap inevitably forms at the bottom of the clearance notch 621 below the connecting channel 93. When the cooling fan 52 is running, a pressure difference is created between the two sides of the air duct assembly 60. Under this pressure difference, some airflow will flow back through this gap, causing hot air to re-enter the space where the compressor 51 is located, reducing the cooling efficiency of the compressor 51. Therefore, this invention configures the support base 94 to block the flow surface of the clearance notch 621 below the connecting channel 93, that is, to block the gap formed at the bottom of the clearance notch 621 below the connecting channel 93. Thus, the support base 94 not only supports the connecting channel 93 and the second accommodating area 92, but also prevents hot air from flowing back through this gap, ensuring better cooling within the compressor compartment 13.

[0092] In some embodiments, a baffle 622 is provided at the clearance notch 621. The baffle 622 has an open state for opening the flow passage of the evaporating dish 90 at the clearance notch 621 and a closed state for blocking the flow passage. When condensate flows between the two accommodating areas of the evaporating dish 90, the baffle 622 can be in the open state to conduct the flow passage at the clearance notch 621, thereby not affecting the normal flow and collection of condensate. When there is no condensate flow between the two accommodating areas of the evaporating dish 90, the baffle 622 can be in the closed state to block the flow passage at the clearance notch 621, thereby preventing air from forming an airflow through the clearance notch 621 and effectively avoiding the problem of internal air backflow in the compressor compartment 13.

[0093] Those skilled in the art should also understand that the terms "upper," "lower," "front," "back," "top," and "bottom," etc., used to indicate orientation or positional relationship in the embodiments of the present invention are based on the actual usage state of the refrigerator. These terms are only for the purpose of describing and understanding the technical solution of the present invention, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or device referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the present invention.

[0094] 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 characterized by comprising: The refrigerator comprises: a cabinet, which defines a first storage compartment and a second storage compartment spaced apart and arranged side by side in the transverse direction of the cabinet, and a first cooling chamber and a second cooling chamber spaced apart and arranged side by side in the transverse direction of the cabinet, the first cooling chamber and the second cooling chamber being located adjacent to the first storage compartment and the second storage compartment, respectively, below the first storage compartment and the second storage compartment; a first evaporator and a second evaporator arranged in the first cooling chamber and the second cooling chamber, respectively, and configured to provide cooling capacity for the first storage compartment and the second storage compartment, respectively; wherein the first storage compartment and the first cooling chamber are in communication through a first air supply opening located at the rear side of the first storage compartment and a first air return opening located at the front side of the bottom of the cabinet, to allow cooling air flow in the first cooling chamber to flow into the first storage compartment through the first air supply opening, and to allow return air flow in the first storage compartment to flow into the first cooling chamber through the first air return opening; the second storage compartment and the second cooling chamber are in communication through a second air supply opening located at the rear side of the second storage compartment and a second air return opening located at the front side of the bottom of the cabinet, to allow cooling air flow in the second cooling chamber to flow into the second storage compartment through the second air supply opening, and to allow return air flow in the second storage compartment to flow into the second cooling chamber through the second air return opening; the cabinet further defines a compressor compartment at the bottom of the cabinet; the refrigerator further comprises: a compressor and a heat dissipation fan arranged in the compressor compartment; a duct assembly for mounting the heat dissipation fan, the duct assembly extending in the depth direction of the cabinet to divide the space in the compressor compartment into two sub-spaces arranged side by side in the transverse direction, the compressor being located in one of the sub-spaces; a first drain pipe and a second drain pipe respectively extending from the first cooling chamber and the second cooling chamber to the two sub-spaces of the compressor compartment; and an evaporation tray arranged in the compressor compartment and having a first accommodation region for receiving condensed water discharged from the first drain pipe, a second accommodation region for receiving condensed water discharged from the second drain pipe, and a connecting flow channel in communication with the first accommodation region and the second accommodation region; and the connecting flow channel is provided in the duct assembly; the height of the second accommodation region and the connecting flow channel in the vertical direction is higher than the height of the first accommodation region in the vertical direction, so that the second accommodation region and the connecting flow channel are both suspended above the bottom plate of the refrigerator when the evaporation tray is mounted on the bottom plate; the bottom wall of the second accommodation region extends downwardly in a direction from the second accommodation region to the first accommodation region; an avoiding gap is formed in the duct assembly, the connecting flow channel is provided in the avoiding gap, and a baffle is arranged at the avoiding gap, the baffle having an open state for opening a flow passage of the evaporation tray at the avoiding gap and a closed state for closing the flow passage.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein The box body further defines a third storage compartment above the first and second storage compartments and a third cooling chamber at the rear side of the third storage compartment; and The refrigerator further comprises a third evaporator arranged in the third cooling chamber, the third evaporator being configured to provide cold energy for the third storage compartment.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein The first storage compartment and the first cooling chamber are separated by a first cover plate, and the second storage compartment and the second cooling chamber are separated by a second cover plate; The first cover plate and the second cover plate each comprise a horizontal section extending from rear to front and a vertical section extending downward and forward from the front end of the horizontal section; The first cooling chamber is located at the rear side of the vertical section of the first cover plate, and the first return air inlet comprises a first rear return air inlet formed on the vertical section of the first cover plate; The second cooling chamber is located at the rear side of the vertical section of the second cover plate, and the second return air inlet comprises a second rear return air inlet formed on the vertical section of the second cover plate.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 3, characterized in that, Further comprising: a first return air cover arranged at the front side of the first cover plate and comprising a first horizontal cover plate extending from rear to front of the horizontal section of the first cover plate and a first vertical cover plate extending downward from the front end of the first horizontal cover plate; and a second return air cover arranged at the front side of the second cover plate and comprising a second horizontal cover plate extending from rear to front of the horizontal section of the second cover plate and a second vertical cover plate extending downward from the front end of the second horizontal cover plate; wherein The first return air inlet further comprises a first front return air inlet formed on the first vertical cover plate, and the second return air inlet further comprises a second front return air inlet formed on the second vertical cover plate.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 4, wherein The number of the first front return air inlets and the second front return air inlets is each multiple, the multiple first front return air inlets are arranged in the up-down direction at intervals, the multiple second front return air inlets are arranged in the up-down direction at intervals, each of the first front return air inlets and each of the second front return air inlets is a horizontally-extending strip-shaped air inlet; The number of the first rear return air inlets and the second rear return air inlets is each multiple, the multiple first rear return air inlets are arranged in the horizontal direction at intervals, the multiple second rear return air inlets are arranged in the horizontal direction at intervals, each of the first rear return air inlets and each of the second rear return air inlets is a vertically-extending strip-shaped air inlet.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 3, wherein The front side of the vertical section of the first cover plate and the front side of the vertical section of the second cover plate are each provided with a flow guide rib protruding forward; and The flow guide rib extends downward and obliquely or curves downward from the horizontal middle part of the vertical section to the horizontal two sides of the vertical section.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein The bottom outer side of the connecting flow channel is provided with a support seat protruding downward, the support seat is supported on the bottom plate, and the support seat is configured to block the flow passage of the avoiding gap located below the connecting flow channel.

8. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein ​ The bottom of the first cooling chamber is formed with a first water collecting tray, the first water collecting tray is surrounded by a plurality of first inclined portions, the bottoms of the plurality of first inclined portions intersect, and a first drain opening is formed at the intersection; the bottom of the second cooling chamber is formed with a second water collecting tray, the second water collecting tray is surrounded by a plurality of second inclined portions, the bottoms of the plurality of second inclined portions intersect, and a second drain opening is formed at the intersection.

9. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein, The rear side of the first storage compartment is provided with a first air duct assembly, the inside of the first air duct assembly is defined with a first air supply air duct in communication with the first cooling chamber, and the first air supply opening is formed in the front side of the first air duct assembly; The rear side of the second storage compartment is provided with a second air duct assembly, the inside of the second air duct assembly is defined with a second air supply air duct in communication with the second cooling chamber, and the second air supply opening is formed in the front side of the second air duct assembly.

10. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein, The first evaporator and the second evaporator are both inclined upward from front to rear; The first cooling chamber is further provided with a first air supply fan located at the rear side of the first evaporator, and the second cooling chamber is further provided with a second air supply fan located at the rear side of the second evaporator.

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