Refrigerator

Abstract

The invention provides a refrigerator. The refrigerator comprises an air duct; the cleaning pipeline is used for spraying cleaning liquid into the air duct; and the humidifying assembly comprises a purifying and recycling box used for collecting the cleaning fluid and an atomizing humidifier connected with the purifying and recycling box, and the atomizing humidifier atomizes the cleaning fluid in the purifying and recycling box and then guides the atomized cleaning fluid into the refrigerating chamber. According to the refrigerator, air duct cleaning and chamber humidifying can be achieved at the same time, cleaning liquid is sprayed into the air duct through the cleaning pipeline to clean the air duct, after the cleaning liquid is collected, filtered and purified, atomized water vapor is generated through the humidifying assembly and guided into the refrigerating chamber, and therefore chamber humidifying is achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of household appliances, and particularly to a refrigerator. Background Art

[0002] Currently, with the improvement of people's requirements for the quality of life, air-cooled refrigerators have been widely used. An air-cooled refrigerator forces the air inside the cabinet to flow through the cabinet fan, which can ensure uniform temperature inside the cabinet, has a fast cooling speed, and is convenient to use. However, the refrigerating chamber of an air-cooled refrigerator is not conducive to the moisture retention of fruits and vegetables. Fruits, vegetables, etc. are prone to drying out, which affects their nutritional value. Therefore, it is necessary to humidify the compartment for storing fruits and vegetables. At the same time, the refrigerator air duct also needs to be cleaned regularly to prevent the accumulation of bacteria and dirt in the air duct, resulting in air duct blockage or peculiar smell in the refrigerating compartment.

[0003] In view of this, it is necessary to provide a refrigerator to solve the above technical problems. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a refrigerator, which includes an air duct for supplying cold air to the refrigerating compartment of the refrigerator; a cleaning pipeline for spraying a cleaning liquid into the air duct; a humidifying assembly including a purification and recovery box for collecting the cleaning liquid and an atomizing humidifier connected to the purification and recovery box. The atomizing humidifier atomizes the cleaning liquid in the purification and recovery box and then introduces it into the refrigerating compartment.

[0005] As a further improvement of the present invention, the air duct further includes a drain opening provided at the bottom of the air duct, and a liquid guide pipe connecting the drain opening and the purification and recovery box.

[0006] As a further improvement of the present invention, it further includes an inner liner surrounding to form the refrigerating compartment. The air duct is located at the rear side of the inner liner, the purification and recovery box is located inside the inner liner, and the liquid guide pipe passes through the inner liner and is connected to the purification and recovery box.

[0007] As a further improvement of the present invention, a filter element is provided at the top of the purification and recovery box. The cleaning liquid entering the purification and recovery box from the liquid guide pipe is filtered by the filter element and then stored in the purification and recovery box.

[0008] As a further improvement of the present invention, the humidifying assembly further includes a suction pump connecting the purification and recovery box and the atomizing humidifier.

[0009] As a further improvement of the present invention, the atomizing humidifier includes a liquid inlet at its bottom, a humidifying port at its top, and a humidifying pipe connecting the humidifying port and the refrigerating compartment.

[0010] As a further improvement of the present invention, multiple groups of the humidifying pipes are provided and are respectively connected to different refrigerating compartments.

[0011] As a further improvement of the present invention, a liquid level sensor is provided in the purification recovery box.

[0012] As a further improvement of the present invention, it also includes a cleaning box storing cleaning liquid, and the cleaning box is connected to the cleaning pipeline and the purification recovery box through pipelines.

[0013] As a further improvement of the present invention, the cleaning box is located in the refrigeration room.

[0014] Beneficial effects of the present invention: The refrigerator described in the present invention can simultaneously realize the cleaning of the air duct and the humidification of the compartment, spraying cleaning liquid into the air duct through the cleaning pipeline to clean the air duct, collecting and filtering the cleaning liquid, and then using the humidification component to generate atomized water vapor and introduce it into the refrigeration compartment, thereby realizing humidification of the compartment. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] The drawings described herein are used to provide a further understanding of the present invention and constitute a part of the present invention. The exemplary embodiments of the present invention and their descriptions are used to explain the present invention and do not constitute an improper limitation of the present invention. In the drawings:

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the front structure of the inner container of the present invention;

[0017] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the rear structure of the inner container of the present invention;

[0018] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the position relationship between the air duct, cleaning pipe and humidification component;

[0019] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the cleaning pipe being fixed in the air duct of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 5 for Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the decomposition structure;

[0021] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure in which the cleaning pipe of the present invention is fixed on the side away from the air duct;

[0022] Figure 7 It is a structural schematic diagram of the air duct of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 8 for Figure 7 A is a schematic diagram of the enlarged structure of the middle part;

[0024] Figure 9 for Figure 7 Schematic diagram of the enlarged structure of B;

[0025] Figure 10 This is a schematic structural diagram of the humidification component of the present invention. Detailed implementation manners

[0026] To make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with specific embodiments of the present invention and the corresponding drawings. Apparently, the described embodiments are only a part rather than all of the embodiments of the present invention. All other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without creative efforts shall fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0027] The embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below. The examples of the embodiments are shown in the drawings, in which the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below by referring to the drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present invention and should not be construed as a limitation to the present invention.

[0028] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the orientation or positional relationship indicated by the terms "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc. is based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, and is only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation to the present invention.

[0029] In the description of the present invention, unless otherwise specified and limited, it should be noted that the terms "installation", "connection", and "coupling" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it may be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection, or it may be the communication inside two elements. It may be directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0030] As Figures 1 to 10 shown, the present invention relates to a refrigerator, which includes an inner container 100, an air duct 200, a cleaning pipeline 300, and a humidification component 400.

[0031] The inner container 100 forms a refrigerating compartment. The air duct 200 is arranged at the rear side of the inner container 100 to supply cold air to the refrigerating compartment. The cleaning pipeline 300 is located on the air duct 200. Cleaning liquid is introduced into the cleaning pipeline 300. The cleaning pipeline 300 sprays the cleaning liquid into the air duct 200 to clean the air duct 200. The cleaning liquid flows downward along the air duct 200 and finally converges into the humidification component 400. The humidification component atomizes the cleaning liquid and then introduces it into the refrigerating compartment to achieve humidification.

[0032] Among them, the air duct plate and the air duct cover form the air duct 200. After heat exchange, the evaporator in the refrigerator generates cooling air, and the cooling air enters the refrigerating compartment through the air duct 200.

[0033] The air duct 200 includes a main air duct and a plurality of shunt air ducts located on both sides of the main air duct and communicating with the main air duct. The main air duct extends in the height direction, and the shunt air ducts are arranged at intervals in the height direction. The shunt air ducts are used to evenly shunt the cooling air in the main air duct and introduce it into the refrigerator compartment. The side of the shunt air duct away from the main air duct is the air outlet communicating with the refrigerator compartment.

[0034] The shunt air duct is divided into an air inlet section connected to the main air duct and an air outlet section connecting the air inlet section and the air outlet. The air inlet section has a certain inclination angle to facilitate the shunting of the cooling air into it, and the air outlet section is relatively gentle to facilitate the smooth export of the cooling air.

[0035] The cleaning pipeline 300 is located in the air duct 200. When dirt such as dust and bacteria accumulates in the air duct 200, it is likely to cause a decline in the refrigeration effect of the refrigerator and the generation of peculiar smell in the storage compartment. At this time, the air duct 200 can be cleaned by injecting cleaning liquid into the cleaning pipeline 300, so as to ensure the cleanliness of the air duct 200.

[0036] Further, a drain port 201 is opened at the lowest point of the air duct 200, and the cleaning liquid sprayed into the air duct 200 flows down along the air duct 200 and is finally discharged through the drain port 201.

[0037] A liquid guide pipe 202 is arranged at the drain port 201. The cleaning liquid sprayed into the air duct 200 through the cleaning pipeline 300 flows down along the air duct 200 and converges at the drain port 2012, and then is introduced into the humidifying component 400 through the liquid guide pipe 202.

[0038] The air duct 200 further includes a drain groove 203 opened along its lower edge. The drain groove 203 extends along the lower edge of the air duct 200 to the drain port 201. The drain groove 203 is used to guide the cleaning liquid sprayed out from the cleaning pipe. When the air duct 200 needs to be cleaned, the cleaning liquid is introduced into the cleaning pipeline 300, and the cleaning liquid is sprayed into the air duct 200 through the cleaning pipeline 300 to clean the air duct 200. The cleaning liquid flows down along the inner wall of the air duct 200 to the drain groove 203 at the lower edge of the air duct 200, and finally converges along the drain groove 203 to the drain port 201 at the bottom of the air duct 200 and is discharged.

[0039] The opening depth of the drainage groove 203 is 0.5 - 1 cm, and the opening depth of the drainage groove 203 can be determined according to the area of the air duct 200 and the flow value of the cleaning pipeline 300. By opening the drainage groove 203, the cleaning liquid can be effectively prevented from remaining in the air duct 200.

[0040] A water mist sensor 205 is further provided in the air duct 200, and the water mist sensor 205 is used to detect the remaining situation of the cleaning liquid in the air duct 200. The water mist sensor 205 is arranged at a position in the air duct 200 where the cleaning liquid is likely to remain.

[0041] Specifically, the water mist sensor 205 is located at the position with the smallest inclination angle of the air duct 200. In this embodiment, the water mist sensor 205 is located at the lower edge of the connection between the air inlet section and the air outlet section, and the inclination angle at this position is small and it is easy for the cleaning liquid to remain. The water mist sensors 400 are also arranged on both sides of the drain port 201, and the water mist sensors 400 here can detect the discharge situation of the cleaning liquid to prevent the drain port 201 from being blocked and unable to discharge the cleaning liquid in time.

[0042] A water blocking member 205 is further provided at the air outlet of the air duct 200, and the water blocking member 205 is used to close the air outlet during the cleaning of the air duct 200, so as to prevent the cleaning liquid from entering the refrigerator compartment from the air outlet during the cleaning process.

[0043] The water blocking member 205 includes a driving member 205a and a water blocking plate 205b connected to the driving member 205a. The driving member 205a drives the water blocking plate 205b to move in the height direction to open or close the air outlet. An installation cavity is provided on the air duct assembly 700, and the driving member 205a is fixed in the installation cavity. The driving member 205a includes a driving motor and a rotating gear connected to the output end of the driving motor. A rack meshing with the rotating gear is provided on the water blocking plate 205b. When it is necessary to open or close the air outlet of the air duct 200, the driving motor is started. The driving motor works to drive the rotating gear at the output end to rotate. The rotating gear rotates to drive the rack meshing with it to move up or down, and further drives the water blocking plate 205b to move up into the installation cavity to open the air outlet or move down into the air duct 200 to close the air outlet.

[0044] A water guide part is arranged on the side of the bottom of the water blocking plate 205b facing the air duct 200. The water guide part has an inclined surface extending towards the air duct 200 from top to bottom. When the water blocking plate 205b closes the air outlet, the bottom surface of the water guide part abuts against the bottom surface of the air duct 200. The cleaning liquid sprayed onto the water blocking plate 205b from the cleaning pipeline 300 flows back into the air duct 200 along the water guide part.

[0045] A fan 206 is further arranged in the air duct 200. The fan 206 is located at the middle position of the air duct 200. After the cleaning of the air duct 200 is completed, the fan 206 is turned on to accelerate the discharge of the cleaning liquid in the air duct 200.

[0046] Furthermore, the cleaning pipeline 300 is arranged along the air duct 200. The extending direction of the cleaning pipeline 300 is consistent with the trend of the air duct 200. The cleaning pipeline 300 sprays the cleaning liquid to each position of the air duct 200, so as to realize the overall cleaning of the air duct 200 and prevent dust and bacteria from gathering in the air duct 200.

[0047] The cleaning pipeline 300 includes a cleaning pipe 301 and nozzles 302 arranged at intervals on the cleaning pipe 301. The cleaning pipe 301 is arranged along the air duct 200 in a tree shape and is consistent with the shape of the air duct 200 to spray the cleaning liquid to each position of the air duct 200. The cleaning pipe 301 is connected to the cleaning box 500 located in the refrigerated room through a cleaning pump, so as to guide the cleaning liquid in the cleaning box 500 into the cleaning pipe 301 and finally spray it into the air duct through the nozzles 302.

[0048] In this embodiment, the nozzle 302 adopts an umbrella-shaped nozzle. A plurality of groups of water spraying ports are arranged circumferentially on the nozzle 302. An outlet for connecting the cleaning pipe 301 and the water spraying ports is arranged at the center of the nozzle 302. The cleaning liquid in the cleaning pipe 301 flows into the nozzle 302 through the outlet, and then is sprayed out through the water spraying ports to clean the air duct 200. A pressure valve is arranged at the outlet. When the water pressure value at the outlet is less than the set value, the pressure valve closes the outlet; when the water pressure value at the outlet is greater than the set value, the pressure valve is pushed up, and the cleaning liquid flows into the nozzle 302 and is sprayed out from the water spraying ports, so as to ensure that the nozzle 302 has a certain spraying range and a certain water pressure value to improve the cleaning efficiency of the air duct 200.

[0049] Furthermore, the water pressure value in the cleaning pipe 301 is directly proportional to the size of the air duct 200, that is, the larger the size of the air duct 200, the larger the set pressure value of the pressure valve provided in the spray head 302, thereby increasing the spraying range and spraying water pressure of the spray head 302, achieving the overall cleaning of the air duct 200 and preventing dirt residue.

[0050] The spray head 302 is provided at the end of the cleaning pipe 301 close to the air outlet of the air duct 200, and the distance between the spray head 302 and the air outlet is greater than the spraying range of the spray head 302. In this way, the cleaning liquid sprayed by the spray head 302 will not enter the air outlet or even the compartment, preventing the residue of the cleaning liquid.

[0051] The distance between the spray heads 302 located in the main air duct is smaller than the distance between the spray heads 302 located in the shunt air duct. The main air duct is relatively wide and has a large area, and a large number of the spray heads 302 are distributed therein; the shunt air duct is relatively narrow and has a small area, and a small number of the spray heads 302 are distributed therein, so as to achieve the full-range coverage spraying of the air duct 200.

[0052] Refer to Figures 4 to 6 , in an embodiment, a groove 207 is formed in the air duct 200, and the cleaning pipe 301 is embedded in the groove 207 to achieve fixation. At least part of the cleaning pipe 301 is embedded in the groove 207, and the opening depth of the groove 207 can be adjusted adaptively according to needs.

[0053] Refer to Figure 4 and Figure 5 , the groove 207 can be formed along the middle position or the edge position of the air duct 200. When the groove 207 is formed along the middle position of the air duct 200, the cleaning pipe 301 is fixed at the middle position of the air duct 200, and the spray head 302 can spray the cleaning liquid evenly in all directions, so that the cleaning pipe 301 has the largest spraying range and the highest cleaning efficiency; when the groove 207 is formed along the edge position of the air duct 200, the cleaning pipe 301 is fixed at the edge position of the air duct 200, and the spray head 302 sprays in a fan shape upward or downward, which can reduce the influence of the cleaning pipe 301 on the air supply of the air duct 200.

[0054] Preferably, the groove 207 located in the main air duct is opened along the middle of the main air duct, and the nozzle 302 located in the main air duct is circular and has a plurality of liquid spraying ports distributed circumferentially. The groove 207 located in the shunt air duct is opened along the upper edge of the shunt air duct, and the nozzle 302 located in the shunt air duct is fan-shaped. The cleaning liquid in the cleaning pipe 301 is sprayed downward in a fan shape with the liquid inlet as the center, thereby reducing the obstruction of the cleaning pipe 301 to the backflow of the cleaning liquid, improving the backflow efficiency of the cleaning liquid, and preventing the cleaning liquid from remaining in the air duct 200.

[0055] When the cleaning pipe 301 is fixed in the air duct 200 by being embedded in the groove 207, the water mist sensor 205 is also located at the intersection of the cleaning pipes 301. The cleaning liquid sprayed from the nozzle 302 flows down along the inner wall of the air duct 200 and may accumulate at the intersection position of the cleaning pipes 301 due to the obstruction of the cleaning pipe 301. Therefore, the water mist sensor 205 is arranged here to monitor the remaining cleaning liquid.

[0056] Refer to Figure 6 As shown, the groove 207 can also be opened on the side of the air duct plate 100 facing away from the air duct 200. The opening position of the groove 207 corresponds to the air duct 200. The cleaning pipe 301 is embedded in the groove 207 to hide the cleaning pipe 301, and at the same time, it does not affect the circulation of the cooling air in the air duct 200. The nozzle 302 passes through the air duct plate 100 and is exposed in the air duct 200 to spray the cleaning liquid in the cleaning pipe 301 into the air duct 200 through the nozzle 302. And the position where the nozzle 302 passes through the air duct plate 100 is sealed. Hiding the cleaning pipe 301 on the side of the air duct plate 100 facing away from the air duct 200 can also prevent the cooling air in the air duct 200 from freezing the remaining cleaning liquid in the cleaning pipe 301.

[0057] In other embodiments, the cleaning pipe 301 can also be fixed by the nozzle 302. The nozzles 302 are arranged at intervals along the air duct 200 and are fixed in the air duct 200 by means of inlaying, adsorption, etc. The cleaning pipe 301 is fixed with the nozzle 302 as the positioning point, and there is no need to open the groove 207. The nozzles 302 can be arranged along the middle or edge position of the air duct 200, and the layout position of the cleaning pipe 301 is defined by the installation position of the nozzle 302. For details, please refer to the previous embodiment.

[0058] Further, the spray head 302 has a connecting portion fixed to the air duct plate 100, and the cleaning pipe 301 is located at one end of the connecting portion away from the air duct plate 100. In this way, the cleaning pipe 301 can be lifted, so that the cleaning pipe 301 is away from the inner wall of the air duct 200, and the cleaning liquid sprayed into the air duct 200 can flow downstream without being blocked by the cleaning pipe 301 and converge at the drain port 201 and be discharged.

[0059] The humidifying assembly 400 includes a purification and recovery box 401 for collecting cleaning liquid and an atomizing humidifier 402 connected to the purification and recovery box 401.

[0060] The purification and recovery box 401 is located in the foaming layer at the rear side of the inner liner 100 to reduce the occupation of the internal space of the refrigerator. The cleaning liquid converging at the drain port 202 is guided to the purification and recovery box 401 through the liquid guide pipe 203. A through hole is provided at the bottom of the inner liner 100, and the liquid guide pipe 203 passes through the through hole from the drain port 202 and is connected to the top of the purification and recovery box 401. A filter element is provided at the top of the purification and recovery box 401, and the cleaning liquid guided into the purification and recovery box 401 from the liquid guide pipe 203 slowly penetrates through the top filter element, is filtered by the filter element and stored in the purification and recovery box 401 for humidifying the compartment. A liquid level sensor is further provided in the purification and recovery box 401 to monitor the stock of the cleaning liquid in the purification and recovery box 401 in real time.

[0061] An inhalation pump 403 is further connected between the purification and recovery box 401 and the atomizing humidifier 402. The atomizing humidifier 402 includes a liquid inlet at its bottom, a humidifying port at its top, and a humidifying pipe 402a connecting the humidifying port and the refrigerating compartment. One end of the inhalation pump 403 is connected to the bottom of the purification and recovery box 401, and the other end is connected to the liquid inlet of the atomizing humidifier 402, and sucks the filtered and stored cleaning liquid in the purification and recovery box 401 into the atomizing humidifier 402. The cleaning liquid is atomized by the atomizing humidifier 402 and introduced into the refrigerating compartment through the humidifying pipe 402a to realize the humidification of the compartment and improve the freshness preservation effect.

[0062] Further, a plurality of groups of the humidifying pipes 402a are provided and are respectively connected to different refrigerating compartments, such as a refrigerating compartment, a high-humidity drawer, etc. A flow guiding member 402b is further provided at the end of the humidifying pipe 402a located in the compartment, and the flow guiding member 402b is used for uniformly guiding the atomized water vapor into the compartment, so as to ensure the humidity balance in the compartment.

[0063] The refrigerator further includes a cleaning box 500 storing a cleaning liquid. The cleaning box 500 is respectively communicated with the cleaning pipeline 300 and the purification and recovery box 401 through pipelines, so as to provide the cleaning liquid for the cleaning pipeline 300 and the purification and recovery box 401 to clean the air duct 200 or the humidification compartment. The purification and recovery box 401 can collect the cleaning liquid from the air duct 200 or directly be provided with the cleaning liquid by the cleaning box 500 for humidification. When the liquid level sensor in the purification and recovery box 401 detects that the amount of the cleaning liquid in the box is small, at this time, the cleaning box 500 can directly provide the cleaning liquid to the purification and recovery box 401 for subsequent humidification.

[0064] Further, the cleaning box 500 is located in the refrigerating compartment. By placing the cleaning box 500 storing the cleaning liquid in the refrigerating compartment, it is convenient for the installation of the cleaning box 500 and the subsequent addition of the cleaning liquid. At the same time, the cleaning box 500 located in the refrigerating compartment can effectively reduce the temperature of the cleaning liquid, prevent the loss of cold in the air duct 200 when cleaning the air duct 200, and additionally increase the energy consumption of the refrigerator.

[0065] The cleaning box 500 is provided with an independent cleaning water cavity and a cleaning agent cavity. The cleaning water cavity is used for accommodating cleaning water, and the cleaning agent cavity is used for accommodating a cleaning agent. The cleaning water and the cleaning agent are mixed to form a cleaning liquid. A water supply pipe is connected to the cleaning box 500. The water supply pipe includes a first liquid inlet end communicated with the cleaning water cavity, a second liquid inlet end communicated with the cleaning agent cavity, and an outlet end connected to the cleaning pipeline 300. A cleaning pump is arranged on the water supply pipe. The cleaning water and the cleaning agent in the cleaning box 500 are connected to the cleaning pipeline 300 located in the air duct 200 through the cleaning pump, and the cleaning pipeline 300 sprays the cleaning liquid into the air duct 200, so as to complete the cleaning of the air duct 200.

[0066] Further, the water supply pipe includes a main water supply pipe connected to the cleaning pipeline 300, a first branch pipe communicated with the main water supply pipe and extending into the cleaning water cavity, and a second branch pipe communicated with the first branch pipe and extending into the cleaning agent cavity. The cleaning water and the cleaning agent are mixed to form a cleaning liquid and sprayed into the air duct 200. The cleaning pump is located on the main water supply pipe. The inner diameters of the first branch pipe and the second branch pipe can be set according to the mixing ratio of the cleaning water and the cleaning agent. In this way, the proportional mixing of the cleaning water and the cleaning agent can be realized through the cleaning pump located on the main water supply pipe.

[0067] A communication valve is further arranged on the second branch pipe, and can supply the mixed cleaning liquid or separately supply the cleaning water to the cleaning pipeline 300.

[0068] The steps for cleaning the refrigerator air duct are as follows:

[0069] When the refrigerator air duct 200 needs to be cleaned, the air outlet of the air duct 200 is first closed, and the air outlet is closed by the water blocking member 205, so as to prevent the cleaning liquid from entering the refrigerator compartment from the air outlet during the cleaning process;

[0070] The cleaning water is sprayed into the air duct 200 to infiltrate the air duct 200, the connecting valve on the second branch pipe is closed, the cleaning pump is started to pressurize and extract the cleaning water in the first box body into the cleaning pipe 301, and when the pressure value in the cleaning pipe 301 reaches the set pressure value, the pressure valve of the nozzle 302 is opened to spray the cleaning water into the air duct 200, the spraying time is 20s, and the entire air duct 200 is infiltrated;

[0071] After the infiltration is completed, the connecting valve on the second branch pipe is opened, and the cleaning pump is started to pressurize and extract the cleaning water in the first box body and the cleaning agent in the second box body. The cleaning liquid mixed by the two is passed into the cleaning pipe 301, and then sprayed to the air duct 200 through the nozzle 302. The spraying time is 30s, wherein the mixing ratio of the cleaning agent and the cleaning water is 1:30;

[0072] After the cleaning agent dissolves the stains and odors in the air duct 200, the connecting valve on the second branch pipe is closed again, and cleaning water is introduced into the cleaning pipe 301 alone and sprayed into the air duct 200 to flush the air duct 200. The flushing time is 40 seconds.

[0073] After flushing, reserve 30 seconds of drainage time, and then turn on the fan 206 to accelerate the evaporation of residual liquid in the air duct 200. During this process, the water mist sensor 204 in the air duct 200 monitors the residual liquid in various places in the air duct 200. When the water mist signal value feedback from the water mist sensor 204 at each place reaches below the preset value, turn off the fan 206, reopen the air outlet of the air duct 200, and the cleaning is completed.

[0074] During the cleaning process, the cleaning water and cleaning liquid flow down along the inner wall of the air duct 200, gather at the drain port 201 at the lowest point of the air duct 200, and are finally discharged through an external pipe.

[0075] Furthermore, the inventors have found that if there is liquid remaining in the cleaning pipe 301 after cleaning, the liquid remaining in the cleaning pipe 301 will freeze during the subsequent refrigerator refrigeration process, causing the cleaning pipe 301 to be blocked or even burst. In order to avoid the above risks, the present invention adopts but is not limited to the following solutions.

[0076] In the first solution, after cleaning is completed, the liquid in the cleaning pipe 301 is drained.

[0077] In one embodiment, the cleaning pipe 301 located in the shunt channel extends obliquely upward from the main air duct to the air outlet, and the connection point of the cleaning pipe 301 and the water supply pipe is located at the lowest point of the cleaning pipe 301. In this way, after the cleaning is completed, the liquid remaining in the cleaning pipe 301 will naturally flow back into the water supply pipe under the action of gravity, thereby preventing the remaining liquid from freezing and causing blockage or even bursting of the cleaning pipe 301.

[0078] In another embodiment, a water leakage hole is opened at the downward bending part of the cleaning pipe 301. The liquid at the downward bending part of the cleaning pipe 301 cannot naturally flow back into the water supply pipe, so a water leakage hole is opened here to allow the remaining liquid to drain into the air duct 200. And the aperture of the water leakage hole is relatively small, preferably 0.2 - 0.5 cm, which has little influence on the internal water pressure of the cleaning pipe 301, preventing the internal water pressure of the cleaning pipe 301 from not reaching the set value of the pressure valve during the cleaning process and unable to achieve the spray cleaning of the air duct 200 by the spray head 302.

[0079] In another embodiment, a pressure reducing valve is provided at the downward bending part of the cleaning pipe 301. When the cleaning pump supplies cleaning liquid into the cleaning pipe 301 for cleaning, the internal water pressure of the cleaning pipe 301 is relatively high, and the pressure reducing valve remains closed, while the pressure valve opens to spray the cleaning liquid through the spray head 302; after the cleaning is completed, the internal water pressure of the cleaning pipe 301 decreases, the pressure valve closes, and the pressure reducing valve opens, and the liquid remaining in the bending part drains from the pressure reducing valve into the air duct 200.

[0080] In another embodiment, the cleaning pump uses a two-way water pump. After the cleaning is completed, the cleaning pump pumps the remaining cleaning liquid in the cleaning pipe 301 back into the box body, thereby preventing the remaining liquid from freezing and causing blockage or even bursting of the cleaning pipe 301.

[0081] In the second type of solution, it is to prevent the liquid remaining in the cleaning pipe 301 from freezing at low temperatures.

[0082] In one embodiment, heat preservation treatment is performed on the cleaning pipe 301, and a heat preservation layer is provided on the outer layer of the cleaning pipe 301, thereby preventing the liquid remaining in the cleaning pipe 301 from freezing.

[0083] In another embodiment, the pipe wall of the cleaning pipe 301 includes an outer wall, an inner wall, and a vacuum chamber located between the outer wall and the inner wall. The vacuum chamber can effectively isolate the heat exchange between the cold air in the air duct 200 and the liquid remaining in the cleaning pipe 301, thereby preventing the liquid remaining in the cleaning pipe 301 from freezing.

[0084] In another embodiment, a heating wire provides heat for the cleaning pipe 301 to prevent the liquid remaining therein from freezing. The heating wire can be arranged inside the cleaning pipe 301 or along the position where the cleaning pipe 301 is arranged. When the refrigerator is refrigerating, a certain amount of heat is provided for the cleaning pipe 301 through the heating wire, so as to prevent the liquid remaining in the cleaning pipe 301 from freezing. A temperature sensor is also arranged inside the cleaning pipe 301, and it is only necessary to keep the temperature of the liquid therein not lower than the freezing point, so as to avoid overheating of the heating wire, wasting energy and even causing a decline in the refrigeration effect of the refrigerator.

[0085] In another embodiment, materials for lowering the freezing point of the cleaning liquid, such as salts, alcohols, etc., are added to the cleaning water cavity. Preferably, alcohols such as methanol and ethanol are added, which can not only lower the freezing point of the cleaning liquid, but also play a role in sterilization during the cleaning process.

[0086] All the above solutions for preventing the cleaning pipe 301 from being blocked or even bursting due to liquid freezing can be used in any combination of two or more.

[0087] In summary, the refrigerator provided by the present invention can simultaneously achieve the cleaning of the air duct 200 and the humidification of the compartment. The air duct 200 is sprayed with a cleaning liquid through the cleaning pipeline 300 to clean the air duct 200. After collecting and filtering and purifying the cleaning liquid, atomized water vapor is generated by the humidification component 400 and introduced into the refrigerating compartment, so as to realize the humidification of the compartment.

[0088] It should be understood that although this specification is described according to embodiments, not every embodiment only contains an independent technical solution. This narrative way of the specification is only for clarity. Those skilled in the art should regard the specification as a whole, and the technical solutions in each embodiment can also be appropriately combined to form other embodiments that can be understood by those skilled in the art.

[0089] The series of detailed descriptions listed above are only specific descriptions of the feasible embodiments of the present invention, and are not used to limit the protection scope of the present invention. Any equivalent embodiments or changes made without departing from the technical spirit of the present invention should be included in the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A refrigerator, characterized in that, Comprising: An air duct (200) for cooling the refrigerating compartment of the refrigerator; A cleaning pipeline (300) for spraying a cleaning liquid into the air duct (200); A humidifying assembly (400), including a purification and recovery box (401) for collecting the cleaning liquid, and an atomizing humidifier (402) connected to the purification and recovery box (401), wherein the atomizing humidifier (402) atomizes the cleaning liquid in the purification and recovery box (401) and then introduces it into the refrigerating compartment.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that: The air duct (200) further includes a drain port (201) opened at the bottom of the air duct (200), and a liquid guide pipe (202) connecting the drain port (201) and the purification and recovery box (401).

3. The refrigerator according to claim 2, characterized in that: It further includes an inner container (100) surrounding to form the refrigerating compartment, the air duct (200) is located inside the inner container (100), the purification and recovery box (401) is located at the rear side of the inner container (100), and the liquid guide pipe (202) passes through the inner container (100) and is connected to the purification and recovery box (401).

4. The refrigerator according to claim 2, characterized in that: A filter element is provided at the top of the purification and recovery box (401), and the cleaning liquid entering the purification and recovery box (401) from the liquid guide pipe (202) is filtered by the filter element and then stored in the purification and recovery box (401).

5. The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that: The humidifying assembly (400) further includes a suction pump (403) connecting the purification and recovery box (401) and the atomizing humidifier (402).

6. The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that: The atomizing humidifier (402) includes a liquid inlet at its bottom, a humidifying port at its top, and a humidifying pipe (402a) connecting the humidifying port and the refrigerating compartment.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 6, characterized in that: Multiple groups of the humidifying pipes (402a) are provided and are respectively connected to different refrigerating compartments.

8. The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that: A liquid level sensor is provided in the purification and recovery box (401).

9. The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that: It further includes a cleaning box (500) storing the cleaning liquid, and the cleaning box (500) is respectively connected to the cleaning pipeline (300) and the purification and recovery box (401) through pipelines.

10. The refrigerator according to claim 9, characterized in that: The cleaning box (500) is located inside the refrigerating compartment.

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