Refrigerator-freezer device

Abstract

The application relates to a refrigerating and freezing device, which comprises a cabinet, a freezing compartment, at least one non-freezing compartment, a first cooling chamber and a second cooling chamber for cooling air flow, a freezing storage environment in the freezing compartment, a refrigerating storage environment or selectively a freezing storage environment or a refrigerating storage environment in the non-freezing compartment, a first air supply fan configured to drive a first air flow cooled by the first cooling chamber to the freezing compartment, and a second air supply fan configured to drive a second air flow cooled by the second cooling chamber to the at least one non-freezing compartment. The first cooling chamber and the second cooling chamber are arranged in a transverse and side-by-side manner at the bottom of the cabinet, the first air supply fan is vertically arranged at the rear of the lower part of the freezing compartment, and the second air supply fan is horizontally arranged at the rear side in the second cooling chamber, so that the refrigeration requirements of each storage compartment are met, and the design thought that the two air supply fans are uniformly arranged in the prior design is broken through.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] In daily life, people mainly use refrigerators to store and preserve items. Currently, the most common types of refrigerators are direct-cooling refrigerators and air-cooling refrigerators. Air-cooling refrigerators use a fan to force a cooling airflow, after heat exchange with the evaporator, into the storage compartment, thereby achieving the purpose of cooling the storage compartment.

[0003] In common frost-free refrigerators, the air blower is usually located at the back of the freezer compartment, that is, behind the rear of the refrigerator body. Some multi-system frost-free refrigerators have multiple air blowers; however, these blowers are either all vertically positioned behind the rear of the refrigerator body or all horizontally positioned at the bottom of the refrigerator body, meaning the layout of multiple air blowers is uniform. However, the applicant recognizes that different air blower layouts have different advantages and disadvantages, and this uniform layout cannot effectively meet the cooling needs of multiple storage compartments with large temperature differences, resulting in poor overall cooling performance of the refrigerator. Summary of the Invention

[0004] One object of the present invention is to overcome at least one deficiency of the prior art and to provide a refrigeration and freezing device having multiple air supply fans and a more reasonable arrangement of the air supply fans.

[0005] A further objective of the present invention is to increase the storage space in each compartment.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a refrigeration and freezing apparatus, comprising:

[0007] The enclosure defines a freezer compartment, at least one non-freeze compartment, and a first cooling compartment and a second cooling compartment for cooling airflow passing through it; the freezer compartment has a frozen storage environment, and the non-freeze compartment has a refrigerated storage environment, or selectively has a frozen storage environment or a refrigerated storage environment.

[0008] A first air supply fan is configured to drive a first airflow cooled by the first cooling chamber to the refrigeration chamber; and

[0009] A second air supply fan is configured to drive a second airflow cooled by the second cooling chamber toward the at least one non-refrigeration chamber; wherein

[0010] The first cooling chamber and the second cooling chamber are arranged side by side in the horizontal direction at the bottom of the box body. The first air supply fan is placed vertically behind the lower part of the refrigeration chamber, and the second air supply fan is placed horizontally on the rear side of the second cooling chamber.

[0011] Optionally, the refrigeration and freezing apparatus further includes:

[0012] A refrigeration air duct assembly is disposed at the rear side of the refrigeration compartment and configured to deliver the first airflow to the refrigeration compartment; and

[0013] The first air supply fan is vertically installed at the bottom of the refrigeration air duct assembly.

[0014] Optionally, the first air supply fan includes a vertically arranged first volute and a first fan disposed within the first volute; and

[0015] The first volute has a front-opening air intake and an upward-opening air exhaust. The air intake is connected to the rear side of the first cooling chamber, and the air exhaust is connected to the refrigeration air supply duct inside the refrigeration air duct assembly.

[0016] Optionally, the first volute is sealed to the bottom of the refrigeration duct assembly; or

[0017] The first volute is integrally formed with the refrigeration air duct assembly.

[0018] Optionally, a drain outlet is formed at the bottom of the first volute; and

[0019] The lower rear part of the first volute extends forward at an angle from top to bottom to form a water-guiding slope.

[0020] Optionally, the refrigeration and freezing apparatus further includes:

[0021] A first evaporator is horizontally positioned within the first cooling chamber, and the first evaporator is inclined upwards from front to back; and

[0022] The upward tilt angle of the first evaporator, the height of the first air supply fan, and the distance between the first evaporator and the first air supply fan are set such that the first airflow from the first evaporator flows directly toward the central area of ​​the first air supply fan.

[0023] Optionally, the distance between the center of the first air supply fan and the bottom wall of the first inner liner defining the freezer compartment is any value between 110 and 130 mm; and / or

[0024] The vertical distance between the center of the first air supply fan and the rear end of the first evaporator is any value between 125 and 135 mm; and / or

[0025] The first evaporator is tilted upward at any angle between 20° and 30°.

[0026] Optionally, the refrigeration and freezing apparatus further includes:

[0027] The second evaporator is horizontally positioned within the second cooling chamber; wherein

[0028] The second air supply fan is located on the rear side of the second evaporator and is inclined upward from front to back.

[0029] Optionally, the refrigerated / frozen packaging further includes:

[0030] A second evaporator cover, disposed above the second evaporator, serves to separate the adjacent non-freezing compartment located above the second cooling chamber from the second cooling chamber; and

[0031] The second insulating foam is attached to the lower surface of the second evaporator cover plate; wherein

[0032] The second air supply fan has an air intake facing the second thermal insulation foam. A certain distance is spaced between the front end of the second air supply fan and the second evaporator, and between the upper surface of the second air supply fan where the air intake is located and the second thermal insulation foam, so as to form an air intake space.

[0033] Optionally, the average distance between the front end of the second blower and the second evaporator is any value ranging from 18 to 25 mm; and / or

[0034] The distance between the upper surface of the second air supply fan where the air intake is located and the second thermal insulation foam is any value between 32 and 45 mm; and / or

[0035] The second air supply fan is tilted upward at any angle between 20° and 30°.

[0036] Optionally, the refrigerated / frozen packaging further includes:

[0037] A non-refrigerated air duct assembly for delivering the second airflow to the at least one non-refrigerated compartment;

[0038] The second air supply fan is connected to the bottom of the non-refrigeration air duct assembly and includes a second volute housing the second fan and an air guide connecting the second volute and the non-refrigeration air duct assembly; the second volute has an air outlet facing rearward and upward, and the air guide is configured to extend upward from the air outlet of the second volute by bending from front to back, with the extended end of the air guide facing upward and being airtightly connected to the non-refrigeration air duct assembly.

[0039] Optionally, the at least one non-freezing compartment includes a refrigerated compartment with a refrigerated storage environment, a small variable-temperature compartment selectively having a refrigerated storage environment or a frozen storage environment, and a fully variable-temperature compartment; and

[0040] The freezer compartment is located on the first side of the cabinet in the horizontal direction, and the refrigerator compartment, the small variable temperature compartment, and the full variable temperature compartment are all located on the second side of the cabinet in the horizontal direction adjacent to the freezer compartment.

[0041] Optionally, the adjustable temperature range of the fully variable temperature compartment is wider than that of the small variable temperature compartment, and the refrigeration compartment, the small variable temperature compartment, and the fully variable temperature compartment are arranged sequentially from top to bottom on the second side of the cabinet; and

[0042] The first cooling chamber and the second cooling chamber are located adjacent to each other below the freezing chamber and the variable temperature chamber, respectively.

[0043] The refrigeration and freezing apparatus of the present invention has a freezing compartment and at least one non-freezing compartment. A first cooling compartment and a second cooling compartment for providing cooling capacity to the freezing compartment and at least one non-freezing compartment respectively are both located at the bottom of the cabinet. Therefore, the first airflow and the second airflow are delivered from bottom to top to the freezing compartment and at least one non-freezing compartment respectively.

[0044] For the freezer compartment, the set temperature is low and the cooling capacity requirement is large, requiring a large air duct and high air pressure. To address this, this application positions the first air supply fan for driving air supply to the freezer compartment at the lower rear of the freezer compartment, i.e., the first air supply fan is back-mounted. The first air supply fan can horizontally draw in the first airflow generated by the first cooling chamber from the front, maximizing suction efficiency, minimizing airflow loss, minimizing air resistance, and achieving the highest cooling efficiency.

[0045] For non-freezing rooms, such as refrigerated rooms or variable temperature rooms, the temperature setting is relatively high and the cooling capacity requirement is relatively small. Therefore, the air pressure requirement for the second air supply fan is relatively low. To address this, the present invention positions the second air supply fan, used to drive airflow to at least one non-freezing room, horizontally within the rear of the second cooling chamber, i.e., the second air supply fan is located at the bottom of the housing. This satisfies the lower requirements of the non-freezing room for air pressure and volume, while also preventing the second airflow from being directly thrown into the non-freezing room from the fan. Instead, it is smoothly blown into the non-freezing room, improving the gentleness of the airflow and reducing wind noise.

[0046] As can be seen, this invention, based on the different cooling needs of the freezer and non-freezer compartments, places the first air supply fan for supplying air to the freezer compartment at the back and the second air supply fan for supplying air to at least one non-freezer compartment at the bottom. This satisfies the cooling needs of each storage compartment and ensures that each storage compartment has a high cooling effect and high cooling efficiency. It breaks through the design concept of the existing design where both air supply fans are uniformly arranged, and the design is more reasonable and ingenious.

[0047] In addition, the horizontal arrangement of the second air supply fan can reduce its overall height, and the extra space can increase the volume of the non-freezing room above the second cooling chamber, thus solving the size limitation problem of the non-freezing room.

[0048] Furthermore, the first air supply fan is vertically installed at the bottom of the refrigeration air duct assembly, which can be close to the rear of the inner liner, minimizing the depth space it occupies and creating a larger capacity for the freezer compartment. Based on the increase in the front-to-back dimension of the freezer compartment by placing the first evaporator at the bottom, a further increase in space is added, improving the user experience.

[0049] 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

[0050] 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:

[0051] Figure 1 This is a schematic structural diagram of a refrigeration and freezing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0052] Figure 2 It is along Figure 1 A schematic cross-sectional view taken by the cutting line AA in the diagram;

[0053] Figure 3 It is along Figure 1 A schematic cross-sectional view taken by the cutting line BB in the diagram;

[0054] Figure 4 yes Figure 2 A schematic enlarged view of the middle part C;

[0055] Figure 5 This is a schematic structural diagram of a refrigeration duct assembly and a refrigeration evaporator cover plate according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0056] Figure 6 yes Figure 3 A schematic enlarged view of the middle part D;

[0057] Figure 7 This is a schematic structural diagram of a non-refrigerated air duct assembly and a second evaporator cover according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0058] This invention provides a refrigeration and freezing device. Figure 1This is a schematic structural diagram of a refrigeration and freezing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 It is along Figure 1 A schematic cross-sectional view taken by the cutting line AA in the diagram. Figure 3 It is along Figure 1 A schematic cross-sectional view taken by the section line BB. See also Figures 1 to 3 The refrigeration and freezing apparatus 1 of the present invention includes a housing 10. The housing 10 defines a freezing compartment 11, at least one non-freezing compartment, and a first cooling chamber 151 and a second cooling chamber 152 for cooling airflow passing through it. The freezing compartment 11 has a frozen storage environment, and the non-freezing compartment has a refrigerated storage environment, or selectively has either a freezing or refrigerated storage environment. Specifically, the temperature in the freezing compartment 11 is typically set between -25 and -18°C. The non-freezing compartment can be a refrigerated compartment and / or a variable-temperature compartment. The temperature in the refrigerated compartment is typically set between 0 and 8°C, and the temperature in the variable-temperature compartment is typically set between -25 and 8°C; that is, the variable-temperature compartment can be set to either a refrigerated state or a frozen state.

[0059] The refrigeration and freezing unit 1 also includes a first air supply fan 21 and a second air supply fan 22. The first air supply fan 21 is configured to drive a first airflow cooled by a first cooling chamber 151 to flow into the freezing compartment 11. The second air supply fan 22 is configured to drive a second airflow cooled by a second cooling chamber 152 to flow into at least one of the aforementioned non-freezing compartments. That is, the first air supply fan 21 is used to drive airflow into the freezing compartment 11, and the second air supply fan 22 is used to drive airflow into the non-freezing compartments.

[0060] Specifically, the first cooling chamber 151 and the second cooling chamber 152 are arranged side-by-side laterally at the bottom of the cabinet 10. That is, the first cooling chamber 151 and the second cooling chamber 152, which provide cooling capacity to the freezer compartment 11 and at least one non-freezing compartment respectively, are both located at the bottom of the cabinet 10. Therefore, the first airflow and the second airflow generated by the first cooling chamber 151 are delivered from bottom to top to the freezer compartment 11 and at least one non-freezing compartment respectively. Furthermore, the first cooling chamber 151 and the second cooling chamber 152 do not occupy the space behind the storage compartments, increasing the depth of each storage compartment and improving the volume ratio of the refrigeration and freezing device 1. On the other hand, they also raise the storage compartments to a certain extent, solving the problem that some storage areas are too low and inconvenient for users to operate.

[0061] For the freezer compartment 11, the set temperature is low and the cooling capacity requirement is large, requiring a large air duct and high air pressure. Therefore, this application sets the first air supply fan 21 for driving air supply to the freezer compartment 11 to be positioned at the lower rear of the freezer compartment 11, that is, the first air supply fan 21 is back-mounted. The first air supply fan 21 can horizontally draw in the first airflow generated by the first cooling chamber 151 from the front, maximizing the suction efficiency, minimizing air volume loss and air resistance, and achieving the highest cooling efficiency.

[0062] For non-freezing rooms, such as refrigerated rooms or variable temperature rooms, the temperature setting is relatively high and the cooling capacity requirement is relatively small. Therefore, the air pressure requirement for the second air supply fan 22 is relatively low. To address this, the present invention positions the second air supply fan 22, used to drive airflow to at least one non-freezing room, horizontally within the rear side of the second cooling chamber 152, i.e., the second air supply fan 22 is positioned at the bottom of the housing 10. This satisfies the lower requirements of the non-freezing room for air pressure and volume, while also preventing the second airflow from being directly thrown into the non-freezing room from the fan, improving the gentleness of the airflow to the non-freezing room, and reducing wind noise. Specifically, the second air supply fan 22 can be horizontally positioned or horizontally inclined relative to the horizontal plane.

[0063] As can be seen, this invention, based on the different cooling needs of the freezer compartment 11 and the non-freezer compartment, places the first air supply fan 21 for supplying air to the freezer compartment 11 at the back and the second air supply fan 22 for supplying air to at least one non-freezer compartment at the bottom. This satisfies the cooling needs of each storage compartment and ensures that each storage compartment has a high cooling effect and high cooling efficiency. It breaks through the design concept of the existing design where both air supply fans are uniformly arranged, and the design is more reasonable and ingenious.

[0064] In addition, the horizontal arrangement of the second air supply fan 22 can reduce its overall height, and the extra space can increase the volume of the non-freezing room above the second cooling chamber by 152 square meters, thus solving the size limitation problem of the non-freezing room.

[0065] In some embodiments, the refrigeration and freezing apparatus 1 further includes a freezing air duct assembly 51, which is disposed on the rear side of the freezing compartment 11 and configured to deliver a first airflow generated by the first cooling compartment 151 to the freezing compartment 11.

[0066] Figure 4 yes Figure 2 A schematic enlarged view of part C in the middle. Figure 5This is a schematic structural diagram of a refrigeration air duct assembly and a refrigeration evaporator cover according to an embodiment of the present invention. Further, the first air supply fan 21 is vertically arranged at the bottom of the refrigeration air duct assembly 51. This facilitates the blowing of the first airflow into the refrigeration air duct assembly 51; on the other hand, the refrigeration air duct assembly 51 can be closely attached to the rear of the inner liner, minimizing its occupied depth space and creating a larger capacity for the refrigeration chamber 11. In addition to increasing the front-to-back dimension of the refrigeration chamber 11 by placing the first cooling chamber 151 at the bottom, this further increases the space, improving the user experience.

[0067] In some embodiments, the first air supply fan 21 includes a vertically arranged first volute 211 and a first fan 212 disposed within the first volute 211. The first volute 211 has a forward-opening air intake 2111 and an upward-opening air exhaust 2112. The air intake 2111 communicates with the rear side of the first cooling chamber 151, and the air exhaust 2112 communicates with the refrigeration air supply duct inside the refrigeration air duct assembly 51. When the first fan 212 rotates, the first airflow generated in the first cooling chamber 151 is horizontally drawn in through the air intake 2111, and driven upward by the blades of the first fan 212, it is thrown into the refrigeration air supply duct through the air exhaust 2112. During the flow of the first airflow from the first cooling chamber 151 to the refrigeration air supply duct, only one reversal occurs at the first air supply fan 21. The fewer reversals further reduce wind resistance and increase the flow rate of the first airflow.

[0068] In some embodiments, the first volute 211 is sealed to the bottom of the refrigeration duct assembly 51. Specifically, the first volute 211 can be connected to the bottom of the refrigeration duct assembly 51 by a suitable means such as snap-fit ​​or fastening. The mating interface between the first volute 211 and the bottom of the refrigeration duct assembly 51 is provided with a sealing structure to form an airtight seal and prevent cold leakage.

[0069] In other embodiments, the first volute 211 can also be integrally formed with the refrigeration duct assembly 51. Therefore, it is not necessary to assemble the first volute 211 into the refrigeration duct assembly 51, nor is it necessary to consider the sealing issue between the two, resulting in a simpler structure and assembly.

[0070] The applicant recognizes that, due to the very low temperature of the first airflow cooled by the first cooling chamber 151, a small amount of condensate may be generated in the first volute 211 and even in the refrigeration air duct. If the condensate accumulates in the first volute 211, it may be blown into the refrigeration chamber 11 with the first airflow, causing severe frost buildup in the refrigeration chamber 11 and affecting user operation. Therefore, in some embodiments, the present invention provides a drain outlet 213 at the bottom of the first volute 211. The condensate generated in the refrigeration air duct flows downwards along the duct wall to the first volute 211, and together with the condensate generated in the first volute 211, collects downwards to the bottom of the first volute 211, and is finally discharged from the drain outlet 213, effectively preventing the condensate from being blown out of the refrigeration chamber 11 with the first airflow.

[0071] Furthermore, the lower rear part of the first volute 211 extends forward at an angle from top to bottom to form a water-guiding slope 214. Since the air intake 2111 is located on the front side of the first volute 211, the volute wall around the air intake 2111 can be configured as an arc-shaped wall that facilitates airflow, and the arc-shaped wall also facilitates the flow of condensate. Therefore, by providing a water-guiding slope 214 on the rear side of the first volute 211, the present invention can guide the condensate on the rear side of the first volute 211 to flow more smoothly and quickly downward to the drain outlet 213, thereby timely draining the condensate.

[0072] Specifically, the drain outlet 213 can be located above the bottom wall of the first cooling chamber 151, so that the condensate flowing out of the drain outlet 213 drips onto the bottom wall of the first cooling chamber 151, and is discharged out of the housing 10 through the main drain outlet on the bottom wall of the first cooling chamber 151 and the drain pipe connected to the main drain outlet.

[0073] Since the compressor, condenser, evaporator, and other structures of the refrigeration and freezing unit 1 are usually located at the bottom rear side of the cabinet 10, they occupy part of the space at the bottom rear side of the cabinet 10 to form a compressor compartment. Therefore, in some embodiments, the refrigeration and freezing unit 1 also includes a first evaporator 31 horizontally placed in the first cooling chamber 151, with the first evaporator 31 tilted upwards from front to back. Thus, while ensuring that the space in front of the compressor compartment within the cabinet 10 is fully utilized, the height of the first evaporator 31 can be reduced as much as possible, reducing the vertical space it occupies, thereby increasing the vertical space of the freezing chamber 11. Moreover, the length of the first evaporator 31 in the front-to-back direction can be increased, increasing its heat exchange area and thus improving its heat exchange efficiency.

[0074] Furthermore, the upward tilt angle of the first evaporator 31, the height of the first air supply fan 21, and the distance between the first evaporator 31 and the first air supply fan 21 are set so that the first airflow exiting the first evaporator 31 flows directly toward the central area of ​​the first air supply fan 21. In other words, by rationally arranging the orientation and relative position of the first evaporator 31 and the first air supply fan 21, the first airflow can flow directly to the air intake 2111 of the first air supply fan 21, minimizing the number of reversals of the first airflow and the flow resistance, and minimizing air volume loss.

[0075] In some embodiments, the distance L1 between the center of the first air blower 21 and the bottom wall 10a of the first inner liner defining the freezer compartment 11 is any value between 110 and 130 mm. For example, the distance between the center of the first air blower 21 and the bottom wall 10a of the first inner liner can be 111 mm, 112 mm, 113 mm, 114 mm, 115 mm, 116 mm, 117 mm, 118 mm, 119 mm, 120 mm, 121 mm, 122 mm, 123 mm, 124 mm, 125 mm, 126 mm, 127 mm, 128 mm, 129 mm, 130 mm, etc. If the distance is set too large, it is equivalent to the center height of the first air supply fan 21 being too high. This will not only shorten the height of the refrigeration air supply duct assembly 51, which may affect the air supply in the bottom area of ​​the freezer compartment 11, but also require the first evaporator 31 to tilt upwards to a greater degree. However, due to the storage space requirements of the freezer compartment 11, the first evaporator 31 cannot tilt too much, making it difficult to meet the above requirements.

[0076] In some embodiments, the upward tilt angle of the first evaporator 31 is any angle value between 20° and 30°. For example, the upward tilt angle of the first evaporator 31 can be 20°, 21°, 22°, 23°, 24°, 25°, 26°, 27°, 28°, 29°, or 30°. If the upward tilt angle of the first evaporator 31 is too large, it will increase the vertical space occupied by the first evaporator 31, and the space of the freezer compartment 11 cannot be maximized. If the upward tilt angle of the first evaporator 32 is too small, on the one hand, it will reduce the height of the compressor compartment, which is not conducive to the layout of various structures in the compressor compartment; on the other hand, it will also require the center height of the first air blower 21 to be too low, which is not only difficult to achieve, but also the bottom of the first air blower 21 is prone to structural interference with the first inner liner.

[0077] In some embodiments, the vertical distance L2 between the center of the first air supply fan 21 and the rear end of the first evaporator 31 is any value between 125 and 135 mm. For example, this distance can specifically be 125 mm, 127 mm, 128 mm, 129 mm, 130 mm, 131 mm, 132 mm, 133 mm, 134 mm, or 135 mm. If the vertical distance between the center of the first air supply fan 21 and the rear end of the first evaporator 31 is too large, the dimensions of the first evaporator 31 in the front-to-back direction are limited, affecting its heat exchange efficiency. If the vertical distance between the center of the first air supply fan 21 and the rear end of the first evaporator 31 is too small, it is inconvenient to assemble the first evaporator 31.

[0078] The present invention reasonably limits the distance between the center of the first air blower 21 and the bottom wall 10a of the first inner liner of the limited freezer compartment 11, the upward tilt angle of the first evaporator 31, and the vertical distance between the center of the first air blower 21 and the rear end of the first evaporator 31. These limits can be flexibly selected according to actual conditions, as long as the first airflow from the first evaporator 31 flows directly toward the central area of ​​the first air blower 21, thus reducing the difficulty of implementation.

[0079] In some embodiments, the refrigeration and freezing apparatus 1 further includes a second evaporator 32 transversely disposed within the second cooling chamber 152. Thus, while ensuring adequate space for the compressor compartment, the space in front of the compressor compartment within the housing 10 is fully utilized, the height of the second evaporator 32 can be minimized, reducing its vertical space occupation and thereby increasing the vertical space of the non-freezing compartment. Furthermore, the length of the second evaporator 32 in the front-to-back direction can be increased, increasing its heat exchange area and thus improving its heat exchange efficiency.

[0080] Figure 6 yes Figure 3 A schematic enlarged view of section D shows that the second air supply fan 22 is located behind the second evaporator 32 and is inclined upwards from front to back. That is, the second air supply fan 22 is obliquely placed in the second cooling chamber 152, which adapts to the shape of the bottom wall of the inner liner used to define the non-freezing chamber, and can achieve a smooth transition of the flow direction of the second airflow, further improving the gentleness of the air supply to the non-freezing chamber and further reducing wind noise.

[0081] In some embodiments, the refrigeration and freezing apparatus 1 further includes a second evaporator cover plate 421 and a second insulating foam 422. The second evaporator cover plate 421 is disposed above the second evaporator 32 to separate the non-freezing compartment adjacent to the second cooling compartment 152 from the second cooling compartment 152. The second insulating foam 422 is attached to the lower surface of the second evaporator cover plate 421 to insulate heat transfer between the upper and lower surfaces of the second evaporator cover plate 421. Further, the refrigeration and freezing apparatus 1 also includes a first evaporator cover plate 41, disposed above the first evaporator 31, to separate the freezing compartment 11 and the first cooling compartment 151. Further, the refrigeration and freezing apparatus 1 also includes a first cover plate 61 and a second cover plate 62. The first cover plate 61 covers the front side of the first evaporator cover plate 41 for decorative purposes. The second cover plate 62 covers the front side of the second evaporator cover plate 421 for decorative purposes. The first cover plate 61 and the second cover plate 62 may be provided with return air vents so that the return airflow can return to the first cooling chamber 151 and the second cooling chamber 152.

[0082] Furthermore, the second air supply fan 22 has an air intake 2211 facing the second insulating foam 422. A certain distance is maintained between the front end of the second air supply fan 22 and the second evaporator 32, and between the upper surface 22a of the second air supply fan 22 where the air intake 2211 is located and the second insulating foam 422, to form an air intake space. Since the air intake 2211 of the second air supply fan 22 faces the second insulating foam 422 and is not directly facing the second evaporator 32, the second airflow flowing out of the second evaporator 32 needs to be redirected before it can be drawn into the air intake 2211. To this end, the present invention specifically forms an air intake space between the front end of the second air supply fan 22 and the second evaporator 32, and between the upper surface 22a of the second air supply fan 22 where the air intake 2211 is located and the second thermal insulation foam 422, so that the second airflow flowing out of the second evaporator 32 can smoothly complete the reversal in the air intake space, thereby minimizing the wind resistance encountered by the second airflow during the reversal process and ensuring the air supply efficiency of each non-freezing compartment.

[0083] In some embodiments, the average distance between the front end of the second air supply fan 22 and the second evaporator 32 is any value between 18 and 25 mm. For example, this distance can specifically be 18 mm, 19 mm, 20 mm, 21 mm, 22 mm, 23 mm, 24 mm, or 25 mm. If the distance between the front end of the second air supply fan 22 and the second evaporator 32 is too large, the dimensional restrictions on the front-to-back direction of the second air supply fan 22 and the second evaporator 32 will be too great, which is not conducive to ensuring air supply efficiency and heat exchange efficiency. If the distance between the front end of the second air supply fan 22 and the second evaporator 32 is too small, the suction space formed between them is small, and the second airflow flowing out of the second evaporator 32 cannot be reversed in time before being blown towards the front end or bottom of the second air supply fan 22, thereby generating a serious backflow phenomenon and affecting the air supply efficiency of the second air supply fan 22.

[0084] In some embodiments, the distance L3 between the upper surface 22a of the second air supply fan 22 and the second thermal insulation foam 422 where the air intake 211 is located is any value between 32 and 45 mm. For example, this distance can be 32 mm, 33 mm, 34 mm, 35 mm, 36 mm, 37 mm, 38 mm, 39 mm, 40 mm, 41 mm, 42 mm, 43 mm, 44 mm, or 45 mm. If the distance between the upper surface 22a of the second air supply fan 22 and the second thermal insulation foam 422 where the air intake 211 is located is too large, the air intake space formed between them will be too large. This will not only make it difficult to guide the second airflow to the air intake 2211, but will also reduce the vertical space of the non-freezing compartment located above the second evaporator cover plate 421. If the distance between the air intake 2211 and the upper surface 22a of the second air supply fan 22 and the second thermal insulation foam 422 is too small, the air intake space formed between them will be small. Most of the second airflow flowing from the air intake space between the front end of the second air supply fan 22 and the second evaporator 32 will blow towards the second thermal insulation foam 422, which is very unfavorable for the second airflow to be diverted to the air intake 211 and will affect the air supply efficiency of the second air supply fan 22.

[0085] In some embodiments, the upward tilt angle of the second air supply fan 22 is any angle value between 20° and 30°. For example, the upward tilt angle of the second air supply fan 22 can specifically be 20°, 21°, 22°, 23°, 24°, 25°, 26°, 27°, 28°, 29°, or 30°. If the upward tilt angle of the second air supply fan 22 is too large, it will not only occupy a large vertical space, but its air intake 2211 may also be directly facing the second evaporator 32, resulting in excessively fast air intake, which is not conducive to gentle air supply to the non-refrigeration compartment and results in greater air noise. If the upward tilt angle of the second air supply fan 22 is too small, its air intake 2211 will be close to upward, which is not conducive to the effective reversal of the second airflow, resulting in greater resistance to the second airflow and affecting the air supply efficiency.

[0086] This invention reasonably limits the distance between the front end of the second air supply fan 22 and the second evaporator 32, the distance between the upper surface 22a of the second air supply fan 22 where the air intake 2211 is located and the second thermal insulation foam 422, and the upward tilt angle of the second air supply fan 22. These limits can be flexibly selected according to actual conditions. As long as the second airflow flowing out of the second evaporator 32 is smoothly drawn into the air intake 2211 and smoothly blown upward into the variable temperature air duct from the air outlet of the second air supply fan 22, gentle air supply to the non-freezing room is achieved, and wind noise is reduced.

[0087] In some embodiments, the refrigeration and freezing apparatus 1 further includes a non-freezing air duct assembly 52, wherein a second air supply fan 22 is connected to the non-freezing air duct assembly 52 to deliver a second airflow driven by the fan to the non-freezing air duct assembly 52 and to the at least one non-freezing compartment.

[0088] Figure 7 This is a schematic structural diagram of a non-refrigeration air duct assembly and a second evaporator cover according to an embodiment of the present invention. Further, a second air supply fan 22 is connected to the bottom of the non-refrigeration air duct assembly 52 and includes a second volute 221 for accommodating the second fan 222 and an air guide 223 connecting the second volute 221 and the non-refrigeration air duct assembly 52. ​​The second volute 221 has an air outlet facing rearward and upward, and the air guide 223 is configured to extend upward from the air outlet of the second volute 221 in a curved manner from front to back, with the extended end of the air guide 223 facing upward to facilitate an airtight connection with the non-refrigeration air duct assembly 52. ​​Thus, the second airflow driven by the second fan 222 and flowing out through the air outlet of the second volute 221 smoothly flows upward along the air guide 223 into the non-refrigeration air duct assembly 52, smoothly completing the flow direction conversion of the second airflow with low airflow resistance.

[0089] In some embodiments, the second air blower 22 is spaced apart and disposed behind the second evaporator 32, and the foremost end of the second volute 221 is provided with a beveled portion 2212 formed by cutting off the foremost edge formed by the intersection of its top wall and circumferential side wall. That is, the second volute 221 of the present invention is based on the existing volute by cutting off the foremost edge formed by the intersection of its top wall and circumferential side wall. The distance between the beveled portion 2212 formed after cutting off the edge and the second evaporator 32 is obviously farther than the distance between the foremost edge of the original volute and the second evaporator 32.

[0090] The present invention increases the distance between the front end of the second air blower 22 and the second evaporator 32 by setting the oblique cut 2212, without reducing the size of the second evaporator 32 and the second air blower 22. Under the premise of not affecting the function of the air blower and the heat exchange efficiency of the evaporator, the present invention effectively avoids condensation or frost at the front end of the second air blower 32.

[0091] Furthermore, when condensation or defrosting water is generated on the surface of the second volute 221, the condensation or defrosting water is more likely to slide down along the oblique cut 2212 and is less likely to accumulate at the top of the front end of the second volute 221, thus avoiding water accumulation or even freezing at the front end of the second volute 221.

[0092] In addition, the oblique cut 2212 can enhance the structural strength of the second volute 221, making the second volute 221 less prone to deformation or damage.

[0093] In some embodiments, the at least one non-freezing compartment includes a refrigerated compartment 12 with a refrigerated storage environment, a small variable-temperature compartment 13 selectively having a refrigerated storage environment or a frozen storage environment, and a fully variable-temperature compartment 14. That is, both the small variable-temperature compartment 13 and the fully variable-temperature compartment 14 are variable-temperature compartments, and both can switch between refrigerated and frozen states. This invention divides the internal space of the cabinet 10 into multiple storage compartments with different temperature ranges. The temperature of each storage compartment can be independently set and adjusted, facilitating users to precisely partition and store different types of food. The different arrangements of the multiple storage compartments result in different sizes of storage space in each compartment, allowing users to flexibly partition and store according to their actual needs.

[0094] Furthermore, the freezer compartment 11 is located on the first side of the cabinet 10 in the transverse direction, while the refrigerator compartment 12, the small variable temperature compartment 13, and the fully variable temperature compartment 14 are all located on the second side of the cabinet 10 in the transverse direction adjacent to the freezer compartment 11. In this invention, the freezer compartment 11 is independently located on the first side of the cabinet 10. It has a large storage space, low temperature requirements, and high cooling capacity demand. Therefore, it is driven by a single first air supply fan 21, ensuring the refrigeration efficiency and effect of the freezer compartment 11. The refrigerator compartment 12, the small variable temperature compartment 13, and the fully variable temperature compartment 14 are arranged vertically on the second side of the cabinet 10. They have relatively high temperature requirements, limited storage space in each compartment, and relatively low cooling capacity demand. Therefore, these three compartments can be driven by a single second air supply fan 22, satisfying the temperature requirements of each compartment while minimizing the number of air supply fans.

[0095] In some embodiments, the adjustable temperature range of the full-temperature-change compartment 14 is wider than that of the small-temperature-change compartment 13. Specifically, the temperature in the small-temperature-change compartment 13 can typically be set between -5 and 8°C to switch between refrigeration and soft freezing; the temperature in the full-temperature-change compartment 14 can typically be set between -25 and 8°C to switch between refrigeration and freezing.

[0096] Furthermore, the refrigerated compartment 12, the small variable-temperature compartment 13, and the fully variable-temperature compartment 14 are arranged sequentially from top to bottom on the second side of the cabinet 10. Since the adjustable temperature range of the fully variable-temperature compartment 14 is wider than that of the small variable-temperature compartment 13, meaning the settable temperature of the fully variable-temperature compartment 14 is lower and it requires more cooling capacity, this invention arranges the refrigerated compartment 12, the small variable-temperature compartment 13, and the fully variable-temperature compartment 14 sequentially from top to bottom on the second side of the cabinet 10. This means that the refrigerated compartment 12, the small variable-temperature compartment 13, and the fully variable-temperature compartment 14 are progressively closer to the second air supply fan 22, facilitating the delivery of gradually increasing cooling capacity to these compartments. This achieves precise temperature control in each compartment and results in a more rational compartment layout.

[0097] In some embodiments, the first cooling chamber 151 and the second cooling chamber 152 are respectively located adjacent to each other below the refrigeration chamber 11 and the variable temperature chamber 14. The first cooling chamber 151 is provided with a horizontally placed first evaporator 31 for generating a first airflow; the second cooling chamber 152 is provided with a horizontally placed second evaporator 32 for generating a second airflow.

[0098] Furthermore, the first air supply fan 21 and the second air supply fan 22 can be located in the first cooling chamber 151 and the second cooling chamber 152, respectively, and are located downstream of the first evaporator 31 and the second evaporator 32, so that the first air supply fan 21 can directly draw air from the downstream of the first evaporator 31 and the second air supply fan 22 can directly draw air from the downstream of the second evaporator 32, resulting in a higher air supply effect.

[0099] Those skilled in the art should understand that the embodiments described above are merely some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments of the present invention. These embodiments are intended to explain the technical principles of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Based on the embodiments provided by the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort should still fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0100] It should be noted that in the description of this invention, terms such as “center,” “upper,” “lower,” “top,” “bottom,” “front,” “rear,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” “inner,” and “outer,” which indicate direction or positional relationship, are based on the actual use of the refrigeration and freezing device 1. They are used only for ease of description and do not indicate or imply that the device or component must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this invention.

[0101] Furthermore, it should be noted that, in the description of this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "joining" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a direct connection, an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, or a connection within two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0102] 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 refrigeration and freezing apparatus, characterized in that, include: The enclosure defines a freezer compartment, at least one non-freeze compartment, and a first cooling compartment and a second cooling compartment for cooling airflow passing through it; the freezer compartment has a frozen storage environment, and the non-freeze compartment has a refrigerated storage environment, or selectively has a frozen storage environment or a refrigerated storage environment. A first air supply fan is configured to drive a first airflow cooled by the first cooling chamber to the refrigeration chamber; as well as A second air supply fan is configured to drive a second airflow cooled by the second cooling chamber toward the at least one non-refrigeration chamber; wherein The first cooling chamber and the second cooling chamber are arranged side by side in the horizontal direction at the bottom of the box body. The first air supply fan is placed vertically behind the lower part of the refrigeration chamber, and the second air supply fan is placed horizontally on the rear side of the second cooling chamber. The refrigeration and freezing apparatus also includes: The first evaporator, horizontally positioned within the first cooling chamber, and The second evaporator is horizontally positioned within the second cooling chamber; in The second air supply fan is located on the rear side of the second evaporator and is inclined upward from front to back.

2. The refrigeration and freezing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: A refrigeration air duct assembly is disposed at the rear side of the refrigeration compartment and configured to deliver the first airflow to the refrigeration compartment; and The first air supply fan is vertically installed at the bottom of the refrigeration air duct assembly.

3. The refrigeration and freezing apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first air supply fan includes a vertically arranged first volute and a first fan disposed within the first volute; and The first volute has a front-opening air intake and an upward-opening air exhaust. The air intake is connected to the rear side of the first cooling chamber, and the air exhaust is connected to the refrigeration air supply duct inside the refrigeration air duct assembly.

4. The refrigeration and freezing apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first volute is sealed to the bottom of the refrigeration duct assembly; or The first volute is integrally formed with the refrigeration air duct assembly.

5. The refrigeration and freezing apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that, The bottom of the first volute has a drainage outlet; and The lower rear part of the first volute extends forward at an angle from top to bottom to form a water-guiding slope.

6. The refrigeration and freezing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first evaporator is inclined upwards from front to back; and The upward tilt angle of the first evaporator, the height of the first air supply fan, and the distance between the first evaporator and the first air supply fan are set such that the first airflow from the first evaporator flows directly toward the central area of ​​the first air supply fan.

7. The refrigeration and freezing apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that, The distance between the center of the first air supply fan and the bottom wall of the first inner liner defining the freezer compartment is any value between 110 and 130 mm; and / or The vertical distance between the center of the first air supply fan and the rear end of the first evaporator is any value between 125 and 135 mm; and / or The first evaporator is tilted upward at any angle between 20° and 30°.

8. The refrigeration and freezing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: A second evaporator cover plate is disposed above the second evaporator to separate the adjacent non-freezing compartment located above the second cooling chamber from the second cooling chamber; as well as The second insulating foam is attached to the lower surface of the second evaporator cover plate; wherein The second air supply fan has an air intake facing the second thermal insulation foam. A certain distance is spaced between the front end of the second air supply fan and the second evaporator, and between the upper surface of the second air supply fan where the air intake is located and the second thermal insulation foam, so as to form an air intake space.

9. The refrigeration and freezing apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that, The average distance between the front end of the second air supply fan and the second evaporator is any value within the range of 18 to 25 mm; and / or The distance between the upper surface of the second air supply fan where the air intake is located and the second thermal insulation foam is any value between 32 and 45 mm; and / or The second air supply fan is tilted upward at any angle between 20° and 30°.

10. The refrigeration and freezing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: A non-refrigerated air duct assembly for delivering the second airflow to the at least one non-refrigerated compartment; The second air supply fan is connected to the bottom of the non-refrigeration air duct assembly and includes a second volute housing the second fan and an air guide connecting the second volute and the non-refrigeration air duct assembly; the second volute has an air outlet facing rearward and upward, and the air guide is configured to extend upward from the air outlet of the second volute by bending from front to back, with the extended end of the air guide facing upward and being airtightly connected to the non-refrigeration air duct assembly.

11. The refrigeration and freezing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The at least one non-freezing compartment includes a refrigerated compartment with a refrigerated storage environment, a small variable-temperature compartment selectively having a refrigerated storage environment or a frozen storage environment, and a fully variable-temperature compartment; and The freezer compartment is located on the first side of the cabinet in the horizontal direction, and the refrigerator compartment, the small variable temperature compartment, and the full variable temperature compartment are all located on the second side of the cabinet in the horizontal direction adjacent to the freezer compartment.

12. The refrigeration and freezing apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that, The adjustable temperature range of the fully variable temperature chamber is wider than that of the small variable temperature chamber. The refrigeration chamber, the small variable temperature chamber, and the fully variable temperature chamber are arranged sequentially from top to bottom on the second side of the cabinet. The first cooling chamber and the second cooling chamber are located adjacent to each other below the freezing chamber and the variable temperature chamber, respectively.

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