Refrigerator

Abstract

This invention provides a refrigerator. The refrigerator includes: a cabinet defining a cooling chamber and at least one storage space, the cooling chamber being located at the bottom of the cabinet and directly below the storage space; a door located on the front surface of the cabinet for operable opening and closing of the storage space; an evaporator, generally flat and cubic in shape, horizontally positioned within the cooling chamber and configured to provide cooling to the storage space; and an air duct cover located above the evaporator, with the air duct cover and the top front end of the evaporator forming a bypass channel extending laterally along the evaporator, allowing air entering the cooling chamber to pass through the bypass channel into the evaporator for heat exchange. In this refrigerator, when the external humidity is high or abnormal frost buildup on the front of the evaporator affects airflow, air can enter through the bypass channel at the top of the evaporator, preventing frost from affecting the heat exchange efficiency of the evaporator, thereby effectively ensuring the refrigerator's cooling effect.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of Chinese patent application No. 201810333872.8, filed on April 13, 2024, entitled "Refrigerator". Technical Field

[0002] This invention relates to the field of household appliances, and in particular to a refrigerator. Background Technology

[0003] As society develops and people's living standards improve, the pace of life becomes faster and faster. As a result, people are more willing to buy a lot of food and store it in the refrigerator. The refrigerator has become one of the indispensable household appliances in people's daily lives.

[0004] Modern refrigerators typically have multiple storage compartments, configured as refrigeration, freezing, variable temperature, or preservation compartments depending on their purpose. Accessing the bottom storage space is often inconvenient, requiring users to squat down, negatively impacting the user experience. Furthermore, when the bottom storage space is designed as a drawer, the compressor compartment at the rear of the bottom often occupies some drawer space, resulting in irregularly shaped drawers and underutilization of the bottom storage area. Additionally, current bottom drawers are often too deep, requiring users to spend excessive time rummaging through them to retrieve items, wasting time and energy. Summary of the Invention

[0005] One objective of this invention is to prevent evaporator frost from affecting heat exchange efficiency.

[0006] A further objective of this invention is to increase the ground clearance of the bottom storage space of the refrigerator, thereby improving the utilization of the refrigerator's storage space.

[0007] In particular, the present invention provides a refrigerator. The refrigerator includes: a cabinet defining a cooling chamber and at least one storage space inside, the cooling chamber being disposed at the bottom of the cabinet and directly below the storage space; a door disposed on the front surface of the cabinet for operable opening and closing of the storage space; an evaporator, generally flat and cubic in shape, transversely disposed in the cooling chamber and configured to provide cooling capacity to the storage space; and an air duct cover disposed above the evaporator, wherein the air duct cover and the top front end of the evaporator form a bypass channel extending laterally along the evaporator, so that air entering the cooling chamber enters the evaporator for heat exchange through the bypass channel.

[0008] Optionally, the duct cover includes a connecting portion, a bending portion, and an extension portion, wherein the connecting portion is fixed to the top rear end of the evaporator; the bending portion extends upward from the front end of the connecting portion; and the extension portion extends from the upper end of the bending portion toward the front of the evaporator, forming a bypass with the top front end of the evaporator.

[0009] Optionally, the evaporator includes: an evaporator body, including: a plurality of parallel fins and coils passing through the fins; and a clamping structure fitted outside the evaporator body, the top and bottom of which are grid plates, and the front and rear of the clamping structure have openings so that air entering the cooling chamber enters the evaporator body for heat exchange through the opening at the front of the clamping structure and flows out through the opening at the rear of the clamping structure.

[0010] Optionally, each fin has a notch at a corresponding position, and multiple notches at the corresponding positions form a channel extending laterally along the evaporator. The refrigerator also includes a heating wire, which is bent and embedded in the channel to defrost the evaporator.

[0011] Optionally, multiple channels are provided at both the upper and lower ends of the fins, and the heating wire is integrally bent and embedded in the channels at the upper and lower ends of the fins.

[0012] Optionally, the clamping structure is made of aluminum, and the heating wire is an aluminum tube heating wire.

[0013] Optionally, the cabinet includes: an outer shell, which includes: a first bottom plate, a second bottom plate, and an air guide cover, wherein the first bottom plate includes: a front bottom plate located at the front side of the bottom of the refrigerator, an inclined plate extending backward and upward from the rear end of the front bottom plate, and a rear top plate extending backward from the upper end of the inclined plate, and a window is provided on the inclined plate; the second bottom plate is located below the rear top plate, and the front end of the second bottom plate is spaced apart from the rear end of the front bottom plate to form a gap; the air guide cover covers the window and divides the gap into a heat dissipation air inlet and a heat dissipation air outlet.

[0014] Optionally, the storage space is multiple, including a refrigeration space and at least one freezer space, and the cabinet includes: a freezer inner liner disposed on the lower inner side of the outer shell, which defines a cooling chamber and at least one freezer space disposed above the cooling chamber; and a refrigeration inner liner disposed above the freezer inner liner, which defines a refrigeration space.

[0015] Optionally, the outer casing also includes: two side panels and a back panel, configured to define a compressor compartment together with the rear top panel and the second bottom panel, and the refrigerator also includes: a condenser, a cooling fan and a compressor arranged in a transverse order in the compressor compartment, with the condenser located on the side near the cooling air inlet and the compressor located on the side near the cooling air outlet.

[0016] Optionally, the refrigerator also includes an evaporating dish, positioned below the condenser, to utilize the heat from the condenser to evaporate moisture from the evaporating dish.

[0017] The refrigerator of the present invention includes: a cabinet defining a cooling chamber and at least one storage space inside, the cooling chamber being disposed at the bottom of the cabinet and directly below the storage space; a door disposed on the front surface of the cabinet for operable opening and closing of the storage space; an evaporator, generally flat and cubic in shape, horizontally disposed in the cooling chamber and configured to provide cooling capacity to the storage space; and an air duct cover disposed above the evaporator, wherein the air duct cover and the top front end of the evaporator form a bypass channel extending laterally along the evaporator, allowing air entering the cooling chamber to enter the evaporator for heat exchange through the bypass channel. With the evaporator positioned at the bottom of the cabinet, air generally enters from the front of the evaporator. However, when the external humidity is high or abnormal frost buildup at the front of the evaporator affects airflow, air can enter through the bypass channel at the top of the evaporator, preventing frost from affecting the heat exchange efficiency of the evaporator and thus effectively ensuring the refrigerator's cooling effect.

[0018] Furthermore, in this embodiment of the refrigerator, the evaporator includes: an evaporator body and a clamping structure. The evaporator body includes: multiple parallel fins and coils passing through the fins. The clamping structure is fitted outside the evaporator body, with its top and bottom being grille plates. The clamping structure has openings at both the front and rear, allowing air entering the cooling chamber to enter the evaporator body for heat exchange through the opening at the front of the clamping structure and exit through the opening at the rear. The clamping structure prevents excessive air leakage at the upper and lower ends of the evaporator, controlling the airflow through the upper and lower parts of the evaporator and ensuring effective heat exchange. Each fin of the evaporator body has a notch at a corresponding position, and multiple notches at corresponding positions form channels extending laterally along the evaporator. The refrigerator also includes: a heating wire, bent and embedded in the channels, for defrosting the evaporator. Multiple channels are provided at the upper and lower ends of the fins, and the heating wire is integrally bent and embedded in the channels at the upper and lower ends of the fins. The heating wire is integrated into the channels at the upper and lower ends of the fins, which can directly heat the evaporator, improve defrosting efficiency, and enhance the reliability of the evaporator.

[0019] Furthermore, in the refrigerator of the present invention, the cooling compartment is located at the bottom of the refrigerator body, which effectively increases the height of the bottom storage space from the ground, avoiding the need for users to bend over or squat to retrieve items, thus improving the user experience. It also allows the bottom storage space to be a flat surface, improving the utilization of storage space compared to irregularly shaped spaces. In addition, it effectively reduces the depth of the storage space, allowing items to be stored unfolded instead of stacked, making it easier for users to find items, saving users time and effort, and further enhancing the user experience.

[0020] 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

[0021] 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:

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 2 This is an internal schematic diagram of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 3 This is an exploded view of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 4 This is a partial schematic diagram of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 5 This is a partial schematic diagram of a refrigerator according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 6 yes Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the decomposition process;

[0028] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the evaporator in a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the evaporator body in a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 9 This is a partial schematic diagram of a refrigerator according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 10 yes Figure 9 A diagram from another perspective;

[0032] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the bottom of the outer casing of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 12 yes Figure 11 A schematic diagram of the decomposition; and

[0034] Figure 13 This is a partial cross-sectional view of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0035] This embodiment first provides a refrigerator. By placing the cooling chamber at the bottom of the refrigerator and horizontally positioning the evaporator within it, the height of the lowest storage space from the ground can be effectively increased, avoiding the need for users to bend over or squat to retrieve items and improving the user experience. With the evaporator at the bottom of the refrigerator, air generally enters from the front of the evaporator. However, when the external humidity is high or the front of the evaporator is abnormally frosted, affecting airflow, air can enter through a bypass channel at the top of the evaporator in this embodiment. This prevents frost from affecting the evaporator's heat exchange efficiency, thereby effectively ensuring the refrigerator's cooling effect. Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a refrigerator 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 This is an internal schematic diagram of a refrigerator 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 This is an exploded view of a refrigerator 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 This is a partial schematic diagram of a refrigerator 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5 This is a partial schematic diagram of a refrigerator 100 according to another embodiment of the present invention. Figure 6 yes Figure 5 A diagram showing the breakdown of the diagram. (See diagram below.) Figures 1 to 6 As shown, the refrigerator 100 of this embodiment generally includes: a cabinet 10, a door 20, an evaporator 21, and an air duct cover 40.

[0036] The housing 10 includes a cooling chamber 11 and at least one storage space within it. The cooling chamber 11 is located at the bottom of the housing 10 and directly below the storage space. Figure 2 As shown, the refrigerator 100 of this embodiment may include three storage spaces arranged from top to bottom: a first space 131, a second space 132, and a third space 133. These three storage spaces can be configured as a refrigeration space, a freezer space, a variable temperature space, or a preservation space, depending on their purpose. Each storage space can be divided into multiple storage areas by a partition, and items can be stored using shelves or drawers.

[0037] A door 20 is disposed on the front surface of the housing 10 to operably open and close the storage space. Doors 20 are correspondingly arranged to storage spaces; that is, each storage space corresponds to one or more doors. Doors 20 are pivotally mounted on the front surface of the housing 10, such as... Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the door 20 of the first space 131 in this embodiment can be a pivot-type opening mechanism. The second space 132 and the third space 133 in this embodiment can be drawer-type opening mechanisms. Drawer slides can be provided at the bottom of the second space 132 and the third space 133 to ensure a smooth opening and closing process and reduce noise.

[0038] like Figure 2As shown, the evaporator 21, in a flat cubic shape, is horizontally placed in the cooling chamber 11 and configured to provide cooling capacity to the storage space. It should be noted that the evaporator 21 is horizontally placed in a flat cubic shape in the cooling chamber 11, that is, the long and wide surfaces of the evaporator 21 are parallel to the horizontal plane, and the thickness surface is perpendicular to the horizontal plane.

[0039] The evaporator 21 provides different amounts of cooling capacity to different types of storage spaces, resulting in varying temperatures within each type of space. For example, the temperature in a refrigerated compartment is generally between 2°C and 10°C, with a preference for 4°C to 7°C. The temperature range in a frozen compartment is generally between -22°C and -14°C. Different types of items have different optimal storage temperatures, and consequently, different suitable storage spaces. For example, fruits and vegetables are suitable for storage in refrigerated or crisper compartments, while meat is suitable for storage in frozen compartments.

[0040] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the air duct cover 40 can be disposed above the evaporator 21, and the air duct cover 40 and the top front end of the evaporator 21 form a bypass duct 44 extending laterally along the evaporator 21, so that the air entering the cooling chamber 11 can enter the evaporator 21 for heat exchange through the bypass duct 44. In the refrigerator 100 of this embodiment, the evaporator 21 is placed at the bottom of the cabinet 10. The air generally enters from the front of the evaporator 21. When the external humidity is high or the front of the evaporator 21 is abnormally frosted, affecting the air intake, the air can enter from the bypass duct 44 at the top of the evaporator 21 to avoid the frost affecting the heat exchange efficiency of the evaporator 21, thereby effectively ensuring the cooling effect of the refrigerator 100.

[0041] Specifically, such as Figure 4 As shown, the duct cover 40 includes a connecting portion 41, a bending portion 42, and an extension portion 43, wherein the connecting portion 41 is fixed to the top rear end of the evaporator 21; the bending portion 42 extends upward from the front end of the connecting portion 41; and the extension portion 43 extends from the upper end of the bending portion 42 toward the front of the evaporator 21, forming a bypass duct 44 with the top front end of the evaporator 21.

[0042] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the evaporator 21 in a refrigerator 100 according to another embodiment of the present invention. Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the evaporator body 210 in a refrigerator 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 7 and Figure 8As shown, the evaporator 21 in this embodiment may include an evaporator body 210 and a clamping structure 80. The evaporator body 210 includes a plurality of parallel fins 211 and coils 213 passing through the fins 211. That is, the evaporator body 210 in this embodiment is a finned evaporator. The clamping structure 80 can be sleeved on the outside of the evaporator body 210. Its top and bottom are grid plates 81, and the front and rear parts of the clamping structure 80 have openings 82, so that the air entering the cooling chamber 11 can enter the evaporator body 210 for heat exchange through the opening at the front of the clamping structure 80 and flow out through the opening at the rear of the clamping structure 80. In other words, a clamping air duct is formed between the grid plates 81 at the top and bottom of the clamping structure 80, and the air entering the cooling chamber 11 can enter the evaporator body 210 for heat exchange through this clamping air duct. The clamping structure 80 can prevent excessive air leakage at the top and bottom of the evaporator 21. By controlling the air volume passing through the top and bottom of the evaporator 21, the effective heat exchange of the evaporator 21 can be ensured.

[0043] In this embodiment, each fin 211 of the evaporator body 210 is provided with a notch 212 at a corresponding position, and multiple notches 212 at corresponding positions form a channel extending laterally along the evaporator 21. Figure 9 This is a partial schematic diagram of a refrigerator 100 according to another embodiment of the present invention. Figure 10 yes Figure 9 A diagram from another perspective. (For example...) Figure 9 and Figure 10 As shown, the refrigerator 100 of this embodiment may further include a heating wire 90, which is bent and embedded in a channel to defrost the evaporator 21. In a preferred embodiment, multiple channels are provided at both the upper and lower ends of the fins 211, and the heating wire 90 is integrally bent and embedded in the channels at the upper and lower ends of the fins 211. That is, one terminal 91 of the heating wire 90 is located at the upper end of the fin 211, bent along the channel at the upper end of the fin 211, and then bent along the channel at the lower end of the fin 211. The other terminal 92 of the heating wire 90 is finally located at the lower end of the fin 211. Terminals 91 and 92 are connected to terminals inside the refrigerator 100, and further connected to the main control board of the refrigerator 100 through the terminals to control the working state of the heating wire 90.

[0044] Preferably, the clamping structure 80 is made of aluminum, and the heating wire 90 is an aluminum tube heating wire. Metallic aluminum can effectively enhance the thermal conductivity of the clamping structure 80 and the heating wire 90, thereby enhancing the defrosting effect of the evaporator 21, preventing frost buildup on the evaporator 21 from affecting its normal operation, and improving the operational reliability of the evaporator 21. It should be noted that the grid plates 81 at the top and bottom of the clamping structure 80 in this embodiment can also prevent the heating wire 90 from warping, ensuring that the heating wire 90 is flatly embedded in the channel of the fins 211.

[0045] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the bottom of the outer casing of a refrigerator 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 12 yes Figure 11 A diagram showing the breakdown of the diagram. Figure 13 This is a partial cross-sectional view of a refrigerator 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 , Figure 3 , Figure 11 and Figure 12 As shown, the housing 10 may include an outer shell 60. The outer shell 60 may include a first base plate 61, a second base plate 62, and an air guide cover 63.

[0046] Furthermore, the first base plate 61 includes: a front base plate 611 located at the front of the bottom of the refrigerator 100, an inclined plate 612 extending backward and upward from the rear end of the front base plate 611, and a rear top plate 613 extending backward from the upper end of the inclined plate 612. A window 614 is provided on the inclined plate 612. The second base plate 62 is located below the rear top plate 613, and the front end of the second base plate 62 is spaced apart from the rear end of the front base plate 611 to form a gap. A wind deflector 63 covers the window 614 and divides the gap formed between the front end of the second base plate 62 and the rear end of the front base plate 611 into a heat dissipation air inlet 121 and a heat dissipation air outlet 122.

[0047] The outer casing 60 may further include two side panels 64 and a back panel 65, configured together with a rear top panel 613 and a second bottom panel 62 to define a compressor compartment 12. Figure 11 and Figure 12 As shown, the refrigerator 100 may further include: a condenser 25, a cooling fan 24, and a compressor 23 arranged laterally in the compressor compartment 12, with the condenser 25 located near the cooling air inlet 121 and the compressor 23 located near the cooling air outlet 122. This arrangement of components effectively utilizes space while meeting technical requirements, reducing the area occupied by the condenser. Furthermore, the refrigerator 100 may also include: a cooling fan 22, located in the cooling chamber 11 and behind the evaporator 21. The main function of the cooling fan 22 is to deliver the cooling energy generated by the evaporator 21, while the main function of the cooling fan 24 is to dissipate heat from the compressor compartment 12.

[0048] It should be noted that the refrigerator 100 in this embodiment can be a built-in refrigerator. To ensure overall aesthetics, the distance between the built-in refrigerator and the surrounding walls or cabinets is small, and a bottom air intake and bottom air exhaust method can be adopted. External air enters the compressor compartment 12 through the heat dissipation inlet 121, passes sequentially through the condenser 25, the second fan 24, and the compressor 23, and then flows out from the heat dissipation outlet 122, thus rationally completing the entire heat dissipation cycle. Figure 12 and Figure 13As shown, the refrigerator 100 of this embodiment may further include: an evaporating dish 50, disposed below the condenser 25, so as to use the heat of the condenser 25 to evaporate the water in the evaporating dish 50.

[0049] like Figure 3 As shown, the refrigerator 100 of this embodiment has multiple storage spaces, including a refrigeration space and at least one freezer space. Specifically, the cabinet 10 may further include a freezer inner liner 71 and a refrigerator inner liner 72. The freezer inner liner 71 is disposed on the lower inner side of the outer shell 60, and its interior defines a cooling chamber 11 and at least one freezer space disposed above the cooling chamber 11. The refrigerator inner liner 72 is disposed above the freezer inner liner 71, and its interior defines a refrigeration space. In this embodiment, the freezer inner liner 71 may define two freezer spaces, with the cooling chamber 11 located below the two freezer spaces. Specifically, as... Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the refrigerator inner liner 72 has a first space 131 inside, which can be set as a refrigerator space. The freezer inner liner 71 has a second space 132, a third space 133 and a cooling chamber 11 inside. The second space 132 and the third space 133 can be set as freezer spaces. The cooling chamber 11 is located below the second space 132 and the third space 133.

[0050] like Figure 13 As shown, the distance A between the bottom wall 143 of the freezer compartment adjacent to the cooling chamber 11 and the lower end of the support foot 15 of the refrigerator 100 is determined by multiple dimensions B, C, and D. Dimension B primarily reflects the height occupied by the compressor compartment 12 and the cooling fan 24; dimension C is determined to ensure the volume of the evaporator dish 50 and the drainage angle; and dimension D is determined to ensure the height of the evaporator 21, the space occupied by the cooling fan 22, and the drainage angle around the evaporator 21. Through the combined constraints of these dimensions, in this embodiment, the distance A between the bottom wall 143 of the drawer body of the freezer compartment adjacent to the cooling chamber 11 and the lower end of the support foot 15 of the refrigerator 100 is 230 mm to 310 mm. This specific range ensures both the technical requirements of the aforementioned components and the ground clearance of the lowest storage space of the refrigerator 100, allowing users to retrieve items without bending or squatting.

[0051] like Figure 3 As shown, the refrigerator 100 may further include: an evaporator cover 111, which covers the evaporator 21 and, together with the freezer inner liner 71, defines the cooling chamber 11. In a preferred embodiment, the front end of the evaporator cover 111 is provided with a freezer return air vent 112 communicating with the freezer space to allow air return from the freezer space to the cooling chamber 11. Specifically, the freezer return air vent 112 may be louvered. In this embodiment, the second space 132 and the third space 133 serve as freezer spaces, and air return to the cooling chamber 11 can be achieved through the freezer return air vent 112.

[0052] like Figure 3 As shown, the refrigerator 100 of this embodiment may further include: an air supply duct 31 and a return air duct 32. The air supply duct 31 is disposed on the inner rear wall of the refrigerator liner 72 and the freezer liner 71, and its bottom end has an air inlet communicating with the cooling chamber 11. Air outlets 311 are respectively provided for the refrigerator compartment and the freezer compartment to transfer the cooling capacity provided by the evaporator 21 to the storage compartments. Since the air outlets 311 are located on the rear side of each storage compartment, the cooling capacity of each storage compartment is transferred from the rear to the front. In a preferred embodiment, as... Figure 13 As shown, a cooling fan 22 can also be provided on the rear side of the evaporator 21. The cooling fan 22 can be tilted forward and positioned on the rear side of the evaporator 21, and the air outlet direction of the cooling fan 22 can be directly facing the air inlet, so that the cooling energy generated by the evaporator 21 can smoothly enter the air duct 31.

[0053] like Figure 3 As shown, the return air duct 32 can be installed on either side wall of the refrigerator inner liner 72 and the freezer inner liner 71, with a return air inlet at its upper end connecting to the refrigerator space and a return air outlet at its lower end connecting to the cooling chamber 11, so as to realize the return air from the refrigerator space to the cooling chamber 11. In a preferred embodiment, two return air ducts 32 can be provided, and they can be symmetrically arranged on the two side walls of the refrigerator inner liner 72 and the freezer inner liner 71. The first space 131 in this embodiment is a refrigerator space, which can also be provided with an independent variable temperature space. A heater can be installed in the variable temperature space, which can heat the items in a closed manner without affecting the temperature of the external refrigerator space. Therefore, the side wall of the first space 131 in this embodiment can be provided with a refrigerator return air inlet and a variable temperature return air inlet, so that the refrigerator space and the variable temperature space can independently realize the return air through the return air duct 32. After the air from the refrigerator space and the variable temperature space returns to the cooling chamber 11, it can also effectively defrost the evaporator 21.

[0054] The refrigerator 100 of this embodiment includes: a cabinet 10, which defines a cooling chamber 11 and at least one storage space inside the cabinet 10, the cooling chamber 11 being disposed at the bottom of the cabinet 10 and directly below the storage space; a door 20, disposed on the front surface of the cabinet 10, for operable opening and closing of the storage space; an evaporator 21, which is generally flat and cubic in shape and is horizontally disposed in the cooling chamber 11, configured to provide cooling capacity to the storage space; and an air duct cover 40, disposed above the evaporator 21, and the air duct cover 40 and the top front end of the evaporator 21 form a bypass duct 44 extending laterally along the evaporator 21, so that the air entering the cooling chamber 11 enters the evaporator 21 for heat exchange through the bypass duct 44. After the evaporator 21 is placed at the bottom of the cabinet 10, the air usually enters from the front of the evaporator 21. When the external humidity is high or the front of the evaporator 21 is abnormally frosted and affects the air intake, the air can enter from the bypass duct 44 at the top of the evaporator 21 to avoid the frost affecting the heat exchange efficiency of the evaporator 21, thereby effectively ensuring the cooling effect of the refrigerator 100.

[0055] Furthermore, in this embodiment of the refrigerator 100, the evaporator 21 includes: an evaporator body 210 and a clamping structure 80. The evaporator body 210 includes: a plurality of parallel fins 211 and coils 213 passing through the fins 211. The clamping structure 80 is fitted outside the evaporator body 210, and its top and bottom are grille plates 81. The clamping structure 80 has openings 82 at both the front and rear, allowing air entering the cooling chamber 11 to enter the evaporator body 210 for heat exchange through the opening at the front of the clamping structure 80 and to flow out through the opening at the rear of the clamping structure 80. The clamping structure 80 can prevent excessive air leakage at the upper and lower ends of the evaporator 21, control the airflow passing through the upper and lower parts of the evaporator 21, and ensure effective heat exchange of the evaporator 21. Each fin 211 of the evaporator body 210 has a notch 212 at a corresponding position. Multiple notches 212 at corresponding positions form channels extending laterally along the evaporator 21. The refrigerator 100 also includes a heating wire 90, bent and embedded in the channels, for defrosting the evaporator 21. Multiple channels are provided at both the upper and lower ends of the fins 211, and the heating wire 90 is integrally bent and embedded in the channels at the upper and lower ends of the fins 211. The integral embedding of the heating wire 90 in the channels at the upper and lower ends of the fins 211 allows for direct heating of the evaporator 21, improving defrosting efficiency and the operational reliability of the evaporator 21.

[0056] Furthermore, in this embodiment of the refrigerator 100, the cooling compartment 11 is located at the bottom of the cabinet 10, which effectively increases the height of the lowest storage space of the refrigerator 100 from the ground, avoiding the need for users to bend over or squat down to retrieve items, thus improving the user experience. It also allows the lowest storage space to be a flat surface, improving the utilization of storage space compared to irregularly shaped spaces. In addition, it effectively reduces the depth of the storage space, allowing items to be stored unfolded instead of stacked, making it easier for users to find items, saving users time and effort, and further enhancing the user experience.

[0057] 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, comprising: A housing, the interior of which defines a cooling chamber and at least one storage space, the cooling chamber being disposed at the bottom of the housing; A door is provided on the front surface of the box to operably open and close the storage space; An evaporator, which is generally flat and cubic in shape, is placed horizontally in the cooling chamber and is configured to provide cooling to the storage space. as well as A duct cover is disposed above the evaporator, and the duct cover and the top front end of the evaporator form a bypass duct extending laterally along the evaporator, so that the air entering the cooling chamber can enter the evaporator for heat exchange through the bypass duct. The evaporator includes an evaporator body and a clamping structure. The evaporator body includes a plurality of parallel fins and a coil passing through the fins. The clamping structure has openings at both the front and rear, so that air entering the cooling chamber enters the evaporator body for heat exchange through the opening at the front of the clamping structure and flows out through the opening at the rear of the clamping structure.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein, The top and bottom of the clamping structure are grating plates, and a clamping air duct is formed between the grating plates at the top and bottom of the clamping structure. The air entering the cooling chamber enters the evaporator body for heat exchange through the clamping air duct.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein, The duct cover includes: a connecting part, a bending part, and an extension part, and The connecting part is fixed to the top rear end of the evaporator; The bent portion extends upward from the front end of the connecting portion; The extension extends from the upper end of the bend toward the front of the evaporator and forms the bypass with the top front end of the evaporator.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 3, wherein The cooling chamber is located directly below the storage space.

5. The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, Each of the fins has a notch at a corresponding position, and the multiple notches at the corresponding positions form a channel extending laterally along the evaporator. The refrigerator also includes a heating wire embedded in the channel to defrost the evaporator.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 5, wherein, The upper and lower ends of the fins are each provided with multiple channels, and The heating wire is integrally bent and embedded in the channels at the upper and lower ends of the fins.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the cabinet comprises: The outer casing includes: a first base plate, a second base plate, and an air guide cover. The first base plate includes: a front base plate located at the front side of the bottom of the refrigerator, an inclined plate extending backward and upward from the rear end of the front base plate, and a rear top plate extending backward from the upper end of the inclined plate; The second base plate is located below the rear top plate, and the front end of the second base plate is spaced apart from the rear end of the front base plate to form a gap; The air guide cover divides the gap into a heat dissipation air inlet and a heat dissipation air outlet.

8. The refrigerator according to claim 7, wherein, The storage space comprises multiple compartments, including a refrigerated compartment and at least one frozen compartment. The enclosure includes: a freezing inner liner disposed on the lower inner side of the outer shell, which defines the cooling chamber and at least one freezing space disposed above the cooling chamber; and a refrigeration inner liner disposed above the freezing inner liner, which defines the refrigeration space.

9. The refrigerator according to claim 8, wherein, The outer casing also includes two side panels and a back panel, configured to, together with the rear top panel and the second bottom panel, define a compressor compartment. The refrigerator further includes: a condenser, a cooling fan, and a compressor arranged in a horizontal sequence in the compressor compartment, with the condenser located on the side near the cooling air inlet and the compressor located on the side near the cooling air outlet.

10. The refrigerator according to claim 9, further comprising: An evaporating dish is placed below the condenser to utilize the heat from the condenser to evaporate the water in the evaporating dish.

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