Storage device for refrigerator and refrigerator

Abstract

The invention relates to a storage device for a refrigerator and the refrigerator. The storage device comprises a storage box, a light-emitting device and a reflecting device, wherein a storage cavity is defined in the storage box, and the light-emitting device and the reflecting device are arranged outside the storage box. The storage box is transparent or semitransparent, and one side part of the storage box is provided with a plurality of transparent light reflecting parts which are arranged at intervals along the height direction of the storage box; each transparent light reflecting part is configured to reflect light received by the transparent light reflecting part to the outside of the storage box when a shielding object exists on the inner side, facing the storage cavity, of the transparent light reflecting part, and allow the light to penetrate through and enter the storage cavity when no shielding object exists on the inner side, facing the storage cavity, of the transparent light reflecting part, so that light spots are formed in the positions, at the same height as the transparent light reflecting parts, of the storage box; the light-emitting device is configured to emit light to the lowermost transparent light reflecting part; and the reflecting device is configured to receive light rays reflected by other transparent reflecting parts except the uppermost transparent reflecting part and reflect the light rays to another adjacent transparent reflecting part above the other transparent reflecting part.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to refrigeration and freezing technology, and in particular to a storage device for a refrigerator and a refrigerator. Background Art

[0002] In order to form a special storage space in the refrigerator that is different from the refrigerator compartment or the freezer compartment, some refrigerators are provided with storage devices for storing special food materials and preserving the special food materials, etc. For example, an independent low oxygen space, dry space, high humidity space, etc. can be formed in the storage device.

[0003] As a container for storing food, users need to understand the usage of the internal space of the storage device to determine the storage volume of food. In the prior art, people generally estimate the usage volume of the storage device by opening the storage device for direct observation. However, frequent opening of the storage device will cause the storage environment in the storage device to change frequently, and it is impossible to maintain a special low-oxygen environment, dry environment or high-humidity environment for a long time, and thus it is impossible to effectively perform special fresh-keeping storage on the food. There are also some ways to directly select the material of the storage device to be fully transparent. However, this not only lowers the grade in appearance and cannot meet the high-quality requirements of users, but also cannot effectively observe the storage situation inside the storage device in a dark environment. In the prior art, there are also some methods that use weight sensors, cameras and other technical means to obtain the usage of the internal space of the storage device. However, some of these solutions have inaccurate detection results, and the detection method is too complicated and the cost is too high. Summary of the invention

[0004] An object of the first aspect of the present invention is to overcome at least one defect of the prior art and to provide a storage device for a refrigerator that can simply and effectively indicate the storage quantity status of the refrigerator.

[0005] Another object of the first aspect of the present invention is to simplify the structure of the storage device and reduce its cost.

[0006] A further object of the first aspect of the present invention is to effectively reduce the oxygen content in the storage device in a manner that there is almost no pressure difference, thereby extending the fresh-keeping storage period of food.

[0007] A second aspect of the present invention aims to provide a refrigerator having the above storage device.

[0008] According to a first aspect of the present invention, the present invention provides a storage device for a refrigerator, comprising a storage box having a storage cavity defined therein, and a light emitting device and a reflecting device disposed outside the storage box; wherein

[0009] The storage box is transparent or translucent, and one of the side portions of the storage box has a plurality of transparent reflective portions arranged at intervals along the height direction of the storage box, each of the transparent reflective portions is configured to reflect the light received by it toward the outside of the storage box when there is an obstruction on the inner side of the storage cavity facing the storage cavity, and to allow the light to pass through and enter the storage cavity when there is no obstruction on the inner side of the storage cavity facing the storage cavity, thereby forming a light spot at a position of the storage box at the same height as the transparent reflective portion;

[0010] The light emitting device is configured to emit light toward the transparent reflective portion at the bottom; and

[0011] The reflecting device is configured to receive light reflected by the other transparent reflecting parts except the uppermost transparent reflecting part and reflect it to another transparent reflecting part adjacent to and above the other transparent reflecting part.

[0012] Optionally, the reflecting device comprises a plurality of reflecting plates arranged at intervals along the height direction of the storage box, and the plurality of reflecting plates arranged in sequence from top to bottom are matched with the plurality of transparent reflecting parts arranged in sequence from top to bottom one by one; wherein

[0013] Each of the reflective plates except the top reflective plate is configured to receive light reflected by the transparent reflective portion that matches it and reflect it to another transparent reflective portion that is adjacently located above the transparent reflective portion; and

[0014] The uppermost reflective plate is configured to receive the light reflected by the uppermost transparent reflective portion and reflect it to a preset position of the storage box located above the uppermost transparent reflective portion.

[0015] Optionally, the postures of the plurality of reflective plates are the same; or

[0016] The postures of the plurality of reflectors are different; or

[0017] The plurality of reflection plates have different postures.

[0018] Optionally, the transparent reflective portion is a cutout formed on the side of the storage box and recessed toward the inside of the storage box; and

[0019] The transparent reflective portion has a transparent reflective surface which is inclined from the lateral outer surface of the storage box toward the interior of the storage box from bottom to top, so as to receive and reflect light through the transparent reflective surface.

[0020] Optionally, the transparent reflective portion also has a yield surface that slopes from the top edge of the transparent reflective surface toward the outside of the storage box from bottom to top, so as to form a yield space below the yield surface, thereby avoiding the light reflected by the transparent reflective portion through the yield space.

[0021] Optionally, a semi-permeable film is attached to the inner side or the outer side of each transparent reflective surface.

[0022] Optionally, another side portion of the storage box opposite to the one side portion also has a plurality of transparent reflective portions arranged at intervals along the height direction of the storage box; and

[0023] The plurality of transparent reflective portions on one side of the storage box are symmetrically arranged one by one with the plurality of transparent reflective portions on the other side of the storage box.

[0024] Optionally, the storage device further includes:

[0025] an oxygen-enriched membrane assembly, comprising at least one oxygen-enriched membrane, wherein the oxygen-enriched membrane is configured such that more oxygen in the air located on a first side thereof permeates through the oxygen-enriched membrane than nitrogen therein to flow toward a second side of the oxygen-enriched membrane; the first side of the oxygen-enriched membrane is in communication with the storage chamber; and

[0026] An air extraction device is connected to the space where the second side of the oxygen-enriched membrane is located, so as to controllably extract the gas in the space where the second side of the oxygen-enriched membrane is located, thereby forming a negative pressure in the storage cavity; wherein

[0027] The storage box is provided with a pressure balancing hole connecting the storage cavity and the external space of the storage box, so that when negative pressure is formed in the storage cavity, the air in the external space of the storage box enters the storage cavity through the pressure balancing hole.

[0028] Optionally, the storage box includes a box body and a cover body disposed on the box body, the storage cavity is formed in the box body, and the pressure balance hole is opened on the cover body.

[0029] Optionally, the cover body includes an inner cover and an outer cover covering the outer side of the inner cover, and the pressure balance hole includes an inner hole penetrating the inner cover along the thickness direction of the inner cover and an outer hole penetrating the outer cover along the thickness direction of the outer cover; and

[0030] The inner layer cover and the outer layer cover are spaced apart to form a pressure relief space, and the inner layer hole is communicated with the outer layer hole through the pressure relief space.

[0031] According to a second aspect of the present invention, the present invention further provides a refrigerator, comprising:

[0032] A box body, defining at least one storage compartment;

[0033] at least one door, used to open and close the at least one storage compartment; and

[0034] The storage device according to any of the above schemes is arranged in the box body or one of the door bodies.

[0035] The storage device of the present invention not only includes a storage box with a storage cavity defined therein, but also a light-emitting device and a reflecting device are specially arranged on the outside of the storage box. The storage box is configured to be transparent or translucent to allow light to pass through. One of the side portions of the storage box has a plurality of transparent reflective portions arranged at intervals along the height direction of the storage box. Through the cooperation between the plurality of transparent reflective portions, the light-emitting device and the reflecting device, a light spot is formed at the lowest position of the storage box where there is no food obstruction, and the light spot indicates the amount of food stored in the storage box. Since the light spot is information that is very easy for the user to observe, the storage amount status and the approximate usage volume in the storage box can be simply and effectively prompted to the user in the form of a light spot. In addition, the height position of the light spot is unique, and it will not be dazzling due to too many light spots or too large an area.

[0036] Furthermore, the present invention only needs to provide one light-emitting device as a light source by providing a transparent reflective portion that can selectively transmit or reflect light under different circumstances and a reflecting device for reflecting light between different transparent reflective portions. The very clever and simple structural design reduces the number of light-emitting devices, simplifies the structure of the storage device, and reduces the cost and energy consumption of the storage device.

[0037] Furthermore, the present invention provides a pressure balancing hole on the storage box so that the storage device forms a low oxygen environment in the storage cavity by eliminating a pressure difference between the storage cavity inside it and the external space thereof. That is, in the process of forming the low oxygen environment in the storage cavity, the pressure between the storage cavity and the external space of the storage device is always in a dynamic equilibrium state. After the low oxygen environment is formed in the storage cavity, there is almost no pressure difference between the storage cavity and the external space of the storage device. Therefore, there is almost no air flow between the storage cavity and the external space, and the low oxygen state can be maintained in the storage cavity for a long time, which is beneficial to the long-term freshness preservation of the food in the storage cavity, prolonging the freshness-preserving period, and effectively reducing the risk of odor contamination inside and outside the storage device.

[0038] Based on the following detailed description of specific embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, those skilled in the art will become more aware of the above and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0039] Hereinafter, some specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail in an exemplary and non-limiting manner with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numerals in the accompanying drawings indicate the same or similar components or parts. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that these drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. In the accompanying drawings:

[0040] Figure 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a storage device for a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0041] Figures 2 to 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a storage device in different storage states according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0042] Figure 5 is a schematic structural cross-sectional view of a storage box according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0043] Figure 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an oxygen-enriched membrane module according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0044] Figure 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a cover according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0045] Figure 8 is a schematic structural diagram of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0046] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0047] The following will mainly describe the specific structure of the storage device and the refrigerator. It is worth noting that in order to avoid repeated description of the same feature and make the specification too complicated, the features in the following embodiments can be applied to other embodiments and can be organically combined with other embodiments. It should be understood that the specification has provided an embodiment in which the feature is applied to other embodiments.

[0048] The present invention first provides a storage device for a refrigerator. Figure 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a storage device for a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figures 2 to 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a storage device in different storage states according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figures 2 to 4 The hatching in the diagram roughly represents the food in the storage device. Figures 2 to 4 The solid black dots in the figure roughly represent the light spots. Figures 1 to 4 The storage device 10 for a refrigerator of the present invention may generally include a storage box 11, and the storage box 11 defines a storage cavity 111 for storing items. In particular, the storage device 10 further includes a light emitting device 12 and a reflecting device 13 disposed outside the storage box 11.

[0049] The storage box 11 is transparent or translucent, and one of the sides of the storage box 11 has a plurality of transparent reflective portions 112 arranged at intervals along the height direction of the storage box 11, each transparent reflective portion 112 is configured to reflect received light toward the outside of the storage box 11 when there is an obstruction on the inner side of the storage cavity 111, and to allow light to pass through and enter the storage cavity 111 when there is no obstruction on the inner side of the storage cavity 111, thereby forming a light spot at the same height of the storage box 11 as the transparent reflective portion.

[0050] The light emitting device 12 is configured to emit light to the transparent reflective portion 112 at the bottom. Specifically, the light emitting device 12 can be located at a position equal to the bottom transparent reflective portion 112 outside the storage box 11 so as to emit light to the bottom transparent reflective portion 112.

[0051] The reflecting device 13 is configured to receive light reflected by other transparent reflecting portions 112 except the uppermost transparent reflecting portion 112 and reflect the light to another transparent reflecting portion 112 adjacent to and above the other transparent reflecting portion 112 .

[0052] When the light emitting device 12 emits light to the transparent reflective portion 112 at the bottom, if there is food inside the transparent reflective portion 112 facing the storage cavity 111 (see Figure 3 and Figure 4 ), the food can block the light emitted to the transparent reflective portion 112, thereby causing the light to be reflected to the reflective device 13. The reflective device 13 receives the light reflected by the bottom transparent reflective portion 112 and reflects it to the second transparent reflective portion 112 from the bottom to the top. Similarly, if there is food on the inner side of the second transparent reflective portion 112 from the bottom to the top facing the storage cavity (see Figure 4 ), the food material can block the light emitted to the second transparent reflective portion 112, thereby causing the light to be reflected to the reflective device 13. The reflective device 13 receives the light reflected by the second transparent reflective portion 112 again and reflects it, and so on.

[0053] If there is no food on the inner side of the bottom transparent reflective portion 112 facing the storage cavity 111 (see Figure 2), that is, there is no obstruction to block the light irradiated to the lowest transparent reflective portion 112, and the light is emitted into the storage cavity 111 through the lowest transparent reflective portion 112, and forms a light spot at a position of the storage box 11 at the same height as the lowest transparent reflective portion 112. Since most of the light irradiated to the lowest transparent reflective portion 112 enters the storage box 11 through the lowest transparent reflective portion 112, very little light is reflected by the lowest transparent reflective portion 112. Therefore, light spots will no longer be formed at other transparent reflective portions 112 of the storage box 11 at the same height as the lowest transparent reflective portion 112. That is, a light spot is only formed at the lowest position of the storage box 11 where there is no food obstruction.

[0054] Similarly, if there is food on the inner side of the bottom transparent reflective portion 112 facing the storage cavity 111, and there is no food on the inner side of the second transparent reflective portion 112 from the bottom to the top (see Figure 3 ), then a light spot is formed only at a position of the storage box 11 that is at the same height as the second transparent reflective portion 112. That is, the storage box 11 will form a light spot at a position at the same height as the lowest transparent reflective portion 112 where there is no food blocking the inside. It can be seen that the multiple transparent reflective portions 112 form multiple gears for indicating the usable volume of the storage box 11.

[0055] The storage device 10 of the present invention not only includes a storage box 11 with a storage cavity 111, but also a light emitting device 12 and a reflecting device 13 are specially arranged outside the storage box 11. The storage box 11 is set to be transparent or translucent to allow light to pass through. One of the side parts of the storage box 11 has a plurality of transparent reflective parts 112 arranged at intervals along the height direction of the storage box. Through the cooperation between the plurality of transparent reflective parts 112, the light emitting device 12 and the reflecting device 13, a light spot is formed at the lowest position of the storage box 11 where there is no food obstruction, and the light spot indicates the amount of food stored in the storage box 11. Since the light spot is information that is very easy for the user to observe, the storage amount and the approximate usage volume in the storage box 11 can be simply and effectively prompted to the user in the form of a light spot. In addition, the height position of the light spot is unique, and it will not be dazzling due to too many light spots and too large an area.

[0056] Furthermore, the present invention only needs to provide one light-emitting device 12 as a light source by providing a transparent reflective portion 112 that can selectively transmit or reflect light under different circumstances and a reflective device 13 for reflecting light between different transparent reflective portions 112. The very clever and simple structural design reduces the number of light-emitting devices 12, simplifies the structure of the storage device 10, and reduces the cost and energy consumption of the storage device 10.

[0057] Specifically, the specific shape of the light spot formed on the storage box 11 depends on the type of the light emitting device 12. For example, when the light emitting device 12 is an electric light source, the light spot formed on the storage box 11 is also a point light spot; when the light emitting device 12 is a line light source, the light spot formed on the storage box 11 is a line light spot.

[0058] It should be noted that the light spots mentioned in the present invention are all visible light spots that can be seen by the user with naked eyes.

[0059] In some embodiments, the reflecting device 13 includes a plurality of reflecting plates 131 arranged at intervals along the height direction of the storage box 11, and the plurality of reflecting plates 131 arranged in sequence from top to bottom are matched one by one with the plurality of transparent reflecting parts 112 arranged in sequence from top to bottom. That is, the number of reflecting plates 131 is the same as the number of transparent reflecting parts 112, and the nth reflecting plate 131 from top to bottom is matched with the nth transparent reflecting part 112 from top to bottom. For example, the first reflecting plate 131 from top to bottom is matched with the first transparent reflecting part 112 from top to bottom, the second reflecting plate 131 from top to bottom is matched with the second transparent reflecting part 112 from top to bottom, and so on.

[0060] Further, each of the other reflective plates 131 except the top reflective plate 131 is configured to receive the light reflected by the transparent reflective portion 112 matched therewith and reflect it to another transparent reflective portion 112 adjacently located above the transparent reflective portion. For example, the second reflective plate 131 from top to bottom receives the light reflected by the second transparent reflective portion 112 from top to bottom and reflects it to the first reflective plate 131 from top to bottom; for another example, the first reflective plate 131 from bottom to top receives the light reflected by the first transparent reflective portion 112 from bottom to top and reflects it to the second reflective plate 131 from bottom to top.

[0061] Further, the uppermost reflective plate 131 is configured to receive the light reflected by the uppermost transparent reflective portion 112 and reflect it to a preset position of the storage box 11 located above the uppermost transparent reflective portion 112. It is understandable that the specific position of the preset position on the storage box 11 is closely related to the tilt posture of the uppermost reflective plate 131.

[0062] Since the storage box 11 is transparent or translucent as a whole, light can also pass through the preset position of the storage box 11. When there are food ingredients inside the storage box 11 at the preset position, the food ingredients can block the light reflected to the preset position, and at this time, no light spot will be formed at any position of the storage box 11; when there are food ingredients inside the uppermost transparent reflective portion 112 and there are no food ingredients inside the storage box 11 at the preset position, the light reflected to the preset position can pass through the storage box 11, thereby forming a light spot at a position of the storage box 11 that is equal to the preset position.

[0063] It can be seen that the preset position is a position in which the used storage volume of the storage box 11 is the largest and the available volume is the smallest.

[0064] The present invention achieves multiple reflection and reversal of light through the ingenious cooperation of multiple reflective plates 131 and multiple transparent reflective parts 112, ensuring that light emitted by one light-emitting device 12 can be emitted to multiple transparent reflective parts 112, thereby achieving the purpose of saving the number of light-emitting devices 12.

[0065] In some embodiments, the postures of the plurality of reflective plates 131 are all the same.

[0066] In other embodiments, the postures of the multiple reflective plates 131 are different.

[0067] In some other embodiments, the postures of the multiple reflective plates 131 are different.

[0068] The posture of the reflector 131 includes the tilt direction and tilt angle of the reflector 131. Since the transparent reflective portion 112 and the reflector 131 affect each other, the posture of each reflector 131 can be designed and adjusted according to the specific structure of the relevant transparent reflective portion 112, as long as the reflection path requirements of the light are met, and the postures of the multiple reflectors 131 are not limited to be the same or different.

[0069] In some embodiments, the transparent reflective portion 112 is a cutout formed on the side of the storage box 11 and recessed into the storage box 11. In addition, the transparent reflective portion 112 has a transparent reflective surface 1121 that is inclined from the lateral outer surface of the storage box 11 to the inside of the storage box 11 from bottom to top, so as to receive and reflect light through the transparent reflective surface 1121.

[0070] The present invention receives and reflects light through an inclined transparent reflective surface 1121, so that the light reflected by the transparent reflective surface 1121 is directed obliquely upward to the storage box 11, thereby facilitating the reflection device 13 to reflect light toward other transparent reflective portions 112 or preset positions located above the transparent reflective portion 112, which is beneficial for the light to be transmitted upward step by step, thereby accurately detecting the used volume in the storage cavity 111.

[0071] In some embodiments, the transparent reflective portion 112 also has a yield surface 1122 that tilts from the top edge of the transparent reflective surface 1121 toward the outside of the storage box 11 from bottom to top, so as to form a yield space 1123 below the yield surface 1122, thereby avoiding the light reflected by the transparent reflective portion 112 through the yield space 1123.

[0072] The present invention sets the yielding surface 1122 to be inclined upward, so that a larger yielding space 1123 can be obtained below the yielding surface 1122 , thereby ensuring that the light reflected by the transparent reflective surface 1121 will not be blocked by the yielding surface 1122 .

[0073] In some embodiments, a semi-permeable film 1124 is attached to the inner side or the outer side of each transparent reflective surface 1121. The semi-permeable film 1124 can make the light spot formed on the storage box 11 clearer and more obvious, so as to facilitate the user to observe.

[0074] In some embodiments, the other side of the storage box 11 opposite to the one of the side portions also has a plurality of transparent reflective portions 112 arranged at intervals along the height direction of the storage box 11. The plurality of transparent reflective portions 112 on one side of the storage box 11 are symmetrically arranged one by one with the plurality of transparent reflective portions 112 on the other side of the storage box 11.

[0075] That is, the transparent reflective portion 112 formed on one side and the other side of the storage box 11 are exactly the same. When installing the storage box 11, one side of the storage box 11 can be opposite to the light emitting device 12 and the reflective device 13, or the other side of the storage box 11 can be opposite to the light emitting device 12 and the reflective device 13, which improves the installation flexibility of the storage box 11 and effectively avoids the error prompt to the user caused by the inability to effectively form a light spot due to installation problems of the storage box 11.

[0076] Figure 5 1 is a schematic structural cross-sectional view of a storage box according to an embodiment of the present invention. In some embodiments, the storage device 10 further includes an oxygen-enriching membrane assembly 14 and an air extraction device 15 .

[0077] Figure 6 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an oxygen-enriched membrane module according to an embodiment of the present invention. Specifically, the oxygen-enriched membrane module 14 has at least one oxygen-enriched membrane 141, and the oxygen-enriched membrane 141 is configured so that the oxygen in the air located on the first side thereof passes through the oxygen-enriched membrane 141 more than the nitrogen therein and flows to the second side of the oxygen-enriched membrane 141. The first side of the oxygen-enriched membrane 141 is connected to the storage chamber 111.

[0078] Specifically, the oxygen-enriched membrane 141 may be an oxygen-permeable membrane that allows only oxygen and moisture in the air to pass therethrough, but does not allow nitrogen in the air to pass therethrough. Furthermore, the direction in which oxygen and moisture pass through the oxygen-enriched membrane 141 is unidirectional, and can only pass from the first side of the oxygen-enriched membrane 141 to the second side of the oxygen-enriched membrane 141.

[0079] The exhaust device 15 is in communication with the space where the second side of the oxygen-enriching membrane 141 is located, so as to controllably exhaust the gas in the space where the second side of the oxygen-enriching membrane 141 is located, thereby forming a negative pressure in the storage chamber 111 .

[0080] In particular, the storage box 11 is provided with a pressure balance hole 113 connecting the storage cavity 111 and the external space of the storage box 11 , so that when negative pressure is formed in the storage cavity 111 , the air in the external space of the storage box 11 enters the storage cavity 111 through the pressure balance hole 113 .

[0081] When the air extraction device 15 is started, the gas in the space where the second side of the oxygen-enriched membrane 141 is located can be sucked, and a negative pressure is formed in the space where the second side of the oxygen-enriched membrane 141 is located. Under the action of the negative pressure, the oxygen in the storage chamber 111 connected to the first side of the oxygen-enriched membrane 141 flows through the oxygen-enriched membrane 141 to the space where the second side of the oxygen-enriched membrane 141 is located, and is extracted by the air extraction device 15. As a result, a certain negative pressure is formed in the storage chamber 111. Under the action of the negative pressure, the air in the external space of the storage box 11 can enter the storage chamber 111 through the pressure balance hole 113 to quickly balance the pressure in the storage chamber 111, so that the air pressure in the storage chamber 111 and the external space of the storage box 11 maintain a dynamic balance.

[0082] It is understandable that a certain unit of oxygen is extracted from the storage chamber 111 by the air extraction device 15, and the same unit of air enters the storage chamber 111 from the pressure balance hole 113. Although the total amount of gas in the storage chamber 111 remains almost unchanged, the proportion of oxygen in the air is only about 21%, which is far less than the amount of oxygen extracted by the air extraction device 15. Therefore, during the operation of the air extraction device 15, the oxygen content in the storage chamber 111 gradually decreases.

[0083] When the vacuum device 15 stops running, on the one hand, more oxygen in the storage cavity 111 is extracted and the food is in a low oxygen state with a low oxygen content; on the other hand, there is almost no pressure difference between the storage cavity 111 and the external space of the storage box 11. Therefore, there is almost no air flow between the storage cavity 111 and the external space of the storage box 11, and the low oxygen state can be maintained in the storage cavity 111 for a long time, which is beneficial to the long-term preservation of the food in the storage cavity 111, prolonging the shelf life of the food, and effectively reducing the risk of odor contamination inside and outside the storage device 10.

[0084] Furthermore, during the vacuuming process of the storage device 10 of the present invention, the storage cavity 111 and the external space are in a state of airflow circulation, and the storage device does not need to be completely sealed, which reduces the design requirements for its sealing performance. At the same time, since a negative pressure state is not formed in the storage cavity 111, no matter how the user takes the food, there will be no safety hazard, and the food in the storage cavity 111 will not lose moisture, which further improves the preservation effect.

[0085] It can be seen that the present invention forms a low-oxygen environment in the storage cavity 111 without a pressure difference by opening a simple pressure balance hole 113 on the storage device 10, thereby achieving the above-mentioned many beneficial technical effects, and the structural design is very ingenious.

[0086] The inventors have realized that in order to better achieve the preservation effect of the storage device 10 and extend the preservation time of the storage device 10 as much as possible, the diameter of the pressure balance hole 113 cannot be too large. For example, the diameter of the pressure balance hole 113 is not greater than 10 mm.

[0087] In some embodiments, the storage box 10 includes a box body 11 a and a cover 118 covering the box body 11 a , the storage cavity 111 is formed in the box body 11 a , and the pressure balance hole 113 is opened on the cover 118 .

[0088] Specifically, the box body 11a may include an outer box 115, a support structure 116 disposed inside the outer box 115, and an inner box 117 disposed inside the outer box 115 and supported on the support structure 116. The storage cavity 111 is formed inside the inner box 117. The tops of the inner box 117 and the outer box 115 are both open, so that the user can take and put food in the storage cavity 111.

[0089] Figure 7 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a cover according to an embodiment of the present invention. Further, the cover 118 includes an inner cover 1181 and an outer cover 1182 covering the outer side of the inner cover 1181, and the pressure balance hole 113 includes an inner hole 1131 penetrating the inner cover 1181 along the thickness direction of the inner cover 1181 and an outer hole 1132 penetrating the outer cover 1182 along the thickness direction of the outer cover 1182. The inner hole 1131 and the outer hole 1132 are connected.

[0090] Furthermore, the inner cover 1181 and the outer cover 1182 are spaced apart to form a pressure relief space 1133, and the inner hole 1131 is connected to the outer hole 1132 through the pressure relief space 1133. The pressure relief space 1133 prolongs the flow path of the air in the external space to flow into the storage cavity 111. After the air extraction device 15 stops running, it is difficult for the air in the external space to exchange airflow with the storage cavity 111. Therefore, the low oxygen environment in the storage cavity 111 is maintained for a longer time, and the preservation effect is better.

[0091] It is understandable that due to the presence of the pressure balance hole 113, there will inevitably be a weak airflow exchange between the storage cavity 111 and the external space of the storage device 10. After a sufficiently long time (for example, several days), the oxygen content in the storage cavity 111 increases. Therefore, the vacuum device 15 can periodically start the vacuum operation at preset intervals. It should be noted that since there is no pressure difference between the storage cavity 111 and the external space of the storage device 10, the airflow exchange between the two is very weak. Therefore, the duration of the interval between the two operations of the vacuum device 15 of the present invention is much longer than the duration of the interval between the operations of the vacuum device in the prior art in which a negative pressure is formed in the storage cavity using a vacuum device.

[0092] In some embodiments, the oxygen-enriching membrane assembly 14 is disposed inside the storage box 11 so that the first side of the oxygen-enriching membrane 141 is connected to the storage cavity 111 in the storage box 11, shortening the communication path between the two and improving the efficiency of oxygen extraction.

[0093] Furthermore, the air extraction device 15 is arranged outside the storage box 11. When the air extraction device 15 is in operation, it will generate certain noise and vibration. Therefore, the air extraction device 15 is externally arranged in the present invention, and the air extraction device 15 can be flexibly arranged at other suitable positions of the refrigerator according to actual conditions, such as the compressor compartment, so as to avoid the air extraction device 15 driving the storage box 11 to vibrate and reduce the noise that the user can feel.

[0094] Furthermore, an air extraction hole 119 is provided on the storage box 11 , so that the air extraction device 15 can extract the gas in the space where the second side of the oxygen-enriched membrane 141 is located through the air extraction hole 119 .

[0095] In some embodiments, the storage box 11 further defines a buffer space 114 in the interior thereof, and the buffer space 114 is in communication with the storage cavity 111. The oxygen-enriching membrane assembly 14 is disposed in the buffer space 114, so that the first side of the oxygen-enriching membrane 141 is indirectly in communication with the storage cavity 111 through the buffer space 114.

[0096] The present invention additionally forms a buffer space 114 in the storage box 11, and arranges the oxygen-enriched membrane assembly 14 in the buffer space 114, rather than directly arranging the oxygen-enriched membrane assembly 14 in the storage cavity 111. On the one hand, it can prevent the food in the storage cavity 111 from contacting the oxygen-enriched membrane assembly 14 and affecting the oxygen permeability of the oxygen-enriched membrane assembly 14. On the other hand, it is also convenient for users to take and put food in the storage cavity 111 without being affected by the oxygen-enriched membrane assembly 14.

[0097] Furthermore, the inner box 117 and the outer box 115 are gap-matched to allow gas to flow therebetween. A through hole may be provided on the support structure 116, and the buffer space 114 is communicated with the gap between the outer box 115 and the inner box 117 through the through hole, and further communicated with the storage cavity 111 in the inner box 117.

[0098] In some embodiments, the oxygen-enriched membrane assembly 14 includes two oxygen-enriched membranes 141 arranged in parallel and spaced apart. The first sides of the two oxygen-enriched membranes 141 are arranged opposite to each other and are both exposed in the buffer space 114. That is, the first sides of the two oxygen-enriched membranes 141 are indirectly connected to the storage chamber 111 through the buffer space 114. The second sides of the two oxygen-enriched membranes 141 are arranged opposite to each other to form an oxygen-enriched gas collection chamber 142 between the two oxygen-enriched membranes 141. The exhaust device 15 is connected to the oxygen-enriched gas collection chamber 142 through the exhaust pipe 16 passing through the exhaust hole 119.

[0099] When the exhaust device 15 is running, the gas in the oxygen-rich gas collecting chamber 142 is sucked through the exhaust pipe 16, and a negative pressure is formed in the oxygen-rich gas collecting chamber 142. Under the action of the negative pressure, the oxygen in the buffer space 114 can flow to the oxygen-rich gas collecting chamber 142 through the two oxygen-rich membranes 141 at the same time, which is equivalent to inhaling oxygen into the oxygen-rich gas collecting chamber 142 from both sides of the oxygen-rich membrane assembly 14 at the same time, thereby expanding the oxygen permeability area and improving the oxygen extraction efficiency.

[0100] Furthermore, the oxygen-enriched membrane assembly 14 may further include a mounting frame for supporting the two oxygen-enriched membranes 141 , and the two oxygen-enriched membranes 141 are supported inside the mounting frame.

[0101] Further, the oxygen-enriched membrane assembly 14 extends obliquely upward from the first side of the storage box 11 to the second side of the storage box 11, and the first side of the storage box 11 is arranged opposite to the second side of the storage box 11. The oxygen-enriched membrane assembly 14 is spaced apart from the storage box 11 on the second side of the storage box 11, and the exhaust pipeline 16 is connected to the oxygen-enriched gas collection chamber 142 at the end of the oxygen-enriched membrane assembly 14 adjacent to the second side of the storage box 11.

[0102] The oxygen-enriched membrane assembly 14 is tilted, so that the length of the oxygen-enriched membrane assembly 14 can be extended within a limited space, thereby increasing the oxygen permeability area of ​​the oxygen-enriched membrane 141 and further improving the oxygen extraction efficiency.

[0103] In addition, the oxygen-enriched membrane assembly 14 needs to be connected to the exhaust pipe 16. After the oxygen-enriched membrane assembly 14 is tilted, a certain interval can be formed between the oxygen-enriched membrane assembly 14 and the storage box 11, and the exhaust pipe 16 is connected to the end of the oxygen-enriched membrane assembly 14 on the second side of the storage box 11, which provides sufficient space for the bending and reversing of the exhaust pipe 16 while ensuring sufficient oxygen permeability. This avoids the problem of excessive reversal of the exhaust pipe 16 causing deformation of the exhaust pipe 16 and reducing the flow area, thereby ensuring smooth flow of the exhaust passage.

[0104] In some embodiments, the storage device 10 further includes a base 17 , and the storage box 11 is supported on the base 17 to stably support the storage box 11 .

[0105] Furthermore, a through hole 171 is provided on the base 17 for the air extraction pipeline 16 to pass through.

[0106] Specifically, there may be a plurality of storage boxes 11 , and each storage box 11 is correspondingly provided with a light emitting device 12 and a reflecting device 13 . The plurality of storage boxes 11 are supported on the base 17 together.

[0107] The present invention also provides a refrigerator. Figure 8 Refrigerator 1 includes a housing 20 and at least one door 30. At least one storage compartment is defined in the housing 20, and at least one door 30 is used to open and close the at least one storage compartment.

[0108] In particular, the refrigerator 100 further includes the storage device 10 described in any of the above embodiments, and the storage device 10 is arranged on the box body 20 or one of the doors 30 .

[0109] Specifically, when the storage device 10 is disposed in the box 20, the light emitting device 12 and the reflective device 13 of the storage device 10 can be fixed on the box 20. When the storage device 10 is disposed in the door 30, the light emitting device 12 and the reflective device 13 of the storage device 10 can be fixed on the door 30.

[0110] In the description of the present embodiment, the description with reference to the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "illustrative embodiments", "examples", "specific examples", or "some examples" means that the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the schematic representation of the above terms does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner.

[0111] Furthermore, the terms “first”, “second”, and “third” are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0112] In addition, the technical solutions between the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but it must be based on the fact that ordinary technicians in the field can implement it. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or cannot be implemented, it should be deemed that such combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection required by the present invention.

[0113] Those skilled in the art should understand that the terms "upper", "lower", "front", "back", "top", "bottom" and the like used to indicate orientation or positional relationships in the embodiments of the present invention are based on the actual usage status of the storage device and the refrigerator. These terms are only used to facilitate the description and understanding of the technical solution of the present invention, and do not indicate or imply that the device or device referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as a limitation on the present invention.

[0114] In addition, it should be noted that in the description of the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection, or it can be indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, or it can be the internal communication of two components. For those skilled in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0115] At this point, those skilled in the art should recognize that, although multiple exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described in detail herein, many other variations or modifications that conform to the principles of the present invention can still be directly determined or derived based on the content disclosed in the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of the present invention should be understood and recognized as covering all these other variations or modifications.

Claims

1. A storage device for a refrigerator, characterized in that: The invention comprises a storage box with a storage cavity defined inside, and a light emitting device and a reflecting device arranged outside the storage box; wherein The storage box is transparent or translucent, and one of the side portions of the storage box has a plurality of transparent reflective portions arranged at intervals along the height direction of the storage box, each of the transparent reflective portions is configured to reflect the light received by it toward the outside of the storage box when there is an obstruction on the inner side of the storage cavity, and to allow the light to pass through and enter the storage cavity when there is no obstruction on the inner side of the storage cavity, thereby forming a light spot at a position of the storage box at the same height as the transparent reflective portion; The light emitting device is configured to emit light toward the transparent reflective portion at the bottom; and The reflecting device is configured to receive light reflected by the other transparent reflecting parts except the uppermost transparent reflecting part and reflect it to another transparent reflecting part adjacent to and above the other transparent reflecting part.

2. The storage device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The reflecting device comprises a plurality of reflecting plates arranged at intervals along the height direction of the storage box, and the plurality of reflecting plates arranged in sequence from top to bottom are matched with the plurality of transparent reflecting parts arranged in sequence from top to bottom one by one; in Each of the reflective plates except the top reflective plate is configured to receive light reflected by the transparent reflective portion matched therewith and reflect it to another transparent reflective portion adjacently located above the transparent reflective portion; and The uppermost reflective plate is configured to receive the light reflected by the uppermost transparent reflective portion and reflect it to a preset position of the storage box located above the uppermost transparent reflective portion.

3. The storage device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The postures of the plurality of reflectors are the same; or The postures of the plurality of reflectors are different; or The plurality of reflection plates have different postures.

4. The storage device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The transparent reflective portion is a cutout formed on the side of the storage box and recessed into the interior of the storage box; and The transparent reflective portion has a transparent reflective surface which is inclined from the lateral outer surface of the storage box toward the interior of the storage box from bottom to top, so as to receive and reflect light through the transparent reflective surface.

5. The storage device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The transparent reflective portion also has a yield surface which is inclined from the top edge of the transparent reflective surface toward the outside of the storage box from bottom to top, so as to form a yield space below the yield surface, thereby avoiding the light reflected by the transparent reflective portion through the yield space.

6. The storage device according to claim 4, characterized in that: A semi-permeable film is attached to the inner side or the outer side of each transparent reflective surface.

7. The storage device according to claim 1, characterized in that: Another side portion of the storage box opposite to the one side portion also has a plurality of transparent reflective portions arranged at intervals along the height direction of the storage box; and The plurality of transparent reflective portions on one side of the storage box are symmetrically arranged one by one with the plurality of transparent reflective portions on the other side of the storage box.

8. The storage device according to claim 1, characterized in that: Also includes: an oxygen-enriched membrane assembly, comprising at least one oxygen-enriched membrane, wherein the oxygen-enriched membrane is configured such that more oxygen in the air located on a first side thereof permeates through the oxygen-enriched membrane than nitrogen therein to flow toward a second side of the oxygen-enriched membrane; the first side of the oxygen-enriched membrane is in communication with the storage chamber; and an air extraction device, connected to the space where the second side of the oxygen-enriched membrane is located, so as to controllably extract the gas in the space where the second side of the oxygen-enriched membrane is located, thereby forming a negative pressure in the storage cavity; in The storage box is provided with a pressure balancing hole connecting the storage cavity and the external space of the storage box, so that when negative pressure is formed in the storage cavity, the air in the external space of the storage box enters the storage cavity through the pressure balancing hole.

9. The storage device according to claim 8, characterized in that: The storage box comprises a box body and a cover body arranged on the box body, the storage cavity is formed in the box body, and the pressure balance hole is opened on the cover body.

10. The storage device according to claim 9, characterized in that: The cover body comprises an inner cover and an outer cover covering the outer side of the inner cover, the pressure balance hole comprises an inner hole penetrating the inner cover along the thickness direction of the inner cover and an outer hole penetrating the outer cover along the thickness direction of the outer cover; and The inner layer cover and the outer layer cover are spaced apart to form a pressure relief space, and the inner layer hole is communicated with the outer layer hole through the pressure relief space.

11. A refrigerator, characterized in that: include: A box body, defining at least one storage compartment; At least one door, used to open and close the at least one storage compartment; as well as The storage device according to any one of claims 1 to 10 is arranged in the box body or one of the door bodies.

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